Royal Mail Product Change

25th April 2022

Changes to Special Delivery Guaranteed and Royal Mail Signed For Products

Royal Mail will be removing the use of coloured adhesive labels used for Special Delivery Guaranteed® and Royal Mail Signed For® products for meters customers. This change will be effective from midnight on 31st October 2022.

Customers will be required to use a new meter indicia or shipping label on their mail items for such products. These new indicia and labels will include a either a Mailmark® barcode and an S10 1D barcode (S10 barcode is a 13-character item identifier), or a 2D barcode and an S10 1D barcode.

Royal Mail is mandating the use of the new indicia and barcodes and comes as part of our modernisation programme.

The products in scope for this change include Special Delivery Guaranteed® and Royal Mail Signed For®.

From 1st November 2022 you will be required to use one of the following solution options:

1. Meter Machine New Indicia
The latest meters indicia will be larger in width and include an S10 1D barcode, additional product name information and new alpha-numeric content within the visual service indicator boxes.

Illustrations below, not to scale. Also includes Special Delivery Guaranteed®

The current Meter Indicia (+ Royal Mail Signed For label) is on the left below and the future Meter Indicia (blue or black ink) is on the right.

Meter Machine New Indicia

2. Secure Print New Indicia
The new indicia will be as per the Meter Machine New Indicia above, printed in black ink.

Illustrations below, not to scale. Also includes Royal Mail Signed For®

The current Secure Print Indicia (+ Special Delivery Guaranteed label) is on the left below and the future Secure Print Indicia (black ink) is on the right.

Secure Print New Indicia

3. Shipping Label via Meters API (OLP)
This is available today for parcels, the labels offered will now include letter and large letter formats. This label will be made available with access to Royal Mail’s Online Postage (OLP) system. The system will produce a fully addressed shipping label for you to apply to your mail item.

Illustrations below, not to scale. Also includes Special Delivery Guaranteed®

The current API Label (not available in letter or large letter) is on the left below and the future API Label is on the right.

Shipping Label via Meters API

We will provide further details on when the solutions will become available and the best options for your business based on the current Mailmark meter technology you are using. Get in touch today to find out more or if you have any questions.

More information about this change will follow shortly. Further details can be found here