Royal Mail is all set to introduce its iconic 3500 solar-powered postboxes across the UK, changing the iconic design of the red pillar boxes that have punctuated Britain's streets for nearly two centuries.
Primarily, in the new design, postboxes feature a solar panel on the top that generates the electricity needed to power a digitally activated drawer, which allows users to add smaller parcels.
Large items like shoeboxes can be posted in the pillar boxes. This step marks the biggest redesign in its 175-year history.
The significant change comes as Royal Mail is struggling in the face of competition from other delivery companies.
Following a successful trial of new boxes in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, it is now ready to roll to other cities starting from Sheffield, Edinburgh and Nottingham.
According to the firm, the new design is being deployed with a grid of dark solar panels on white rectangle which will be oriented “due south for optimal sunlight.”
The new postboxes feature a built-in barcode scanner that activates a drop-down drawer.
This drawer is specifically designed to accommodate large parcels that do not fit in the traditional postbox slot. Customers can use the service using the Royal Mail application and can request proof of posting and tracking of their parcel.
The company aims to expand its parcel services and make them as convenient as possible.
The rapid growth of online shopping has led to a boom in alternate pick-up services.
However, to meet the demands for convenience, services like “click-and collect” have been increasingly becoming popular and allowing customers to pick up online orders from nearby locations including local and petrol stations.
Additionally, there also has been a proliferation of self-operated lockers in convenient locations.
The managing director at Royal Mail, Jack Clarkson shed light on new development stating, “This trend will only continue as online shopping shows no signs of slowing, particularly with the boom of second-hand marketplaces.”
The increasing digitization of society combined with more competition in the delivery business has already significantly impacted traditional post companies.
Royal Mail has recently ended its letter delivery service to focus more on profitable parcel delivery.