Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Swipe for next article

Independent Bulletin homepage

Download our
Social Partner

We are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)

Why sending a Royal Mail parcel just got easier

A new solar-powered postbox which is being rolled out across the UK — A new solar-powered postbox which is being rolled out across the UK (Royal Mail/PA)

Royal Mail is rolling out 3,500 solar-powered "postboxes of the future" across the UK.
These innovative postboxes feature a digitally activated drop-down drawer for parcels as large as a shoebox.
Customers will use the Royal Mail app to scan a barcode to activate the drawer and access tracking; these postboxes will come to major cities including Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Sunderland.
This represents the biggest transformation to the postbox in its 175-year history, following earlier trials
The initiative aims to make posting and returning parcels more convenient, especially for online shopping and second-hand marketplaces.

Royal Mail rolls out ‘postboxes of the future’ across UK — In full