Royal Mail is getting ready to introduce Sunday deliveries, as it enters into a fierce battle with rivals. Bosses have drawn up their 'road map' in an effort to put the 506-year-old business at the forefront of weekend online shopping.
The plan is being hailed a 'revolution' similar to the end of Sunday trading restrictions for shops in the 1990s. The strategy is part of chief executive Simon Thompson's plan to transform the business and take market share from competitors such as Amazon, DPD and Evri, formally Hermes.
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The move has come about in answer to online purchases dropping off with the end of lockdown restrictions and decades of dwindling letter volumes as more mail is sent digitally. Since last year, Royal Mail, similar to other carriers, has offered a restricted Sunday service for around 75 larger retailers. But the group's commercial director Nick Landon, said Royal Mail would this week open the service to any retailer – creating a platform for shops of all sizes to provide the service to millions more customers.
It means online shoppers would get the opportunity to order items on a Friday night or Saturday for delivery on Sunday, and Mr Landon said weekend shopping for Sunday delivery could become the norm. He compared it to the introduction of Sunday shopping in the 1990s.
Mr Landon added: 'We are the biggest delivery firm for parcels, and our ambition – and the reason we're building at this scale – is to be at the forefront of that for Sunday deliveries. We are seeing clear demand for this from consumers. The world of physical retail has had seven-day shopping for the past 30 years. We see that opportunity for online shopping and deliveries."
Royal Mail plans to double the number of Sunday deliveries by the end of the year. Mr Landon said: "For us, this is the start of a revolution. This is our road map to Sunday being a full delivery day. It won't happen overnight. But this is the first step."
The plan is initially for Tracked 24 'next day' service, .but other services will be added if demand accelerates. However, Mr Langdon confirmed the Sunday delivery plan so far did not include letters, but added: "I never say never on anything. I won't say no to expanding this to other services if I can see a market demand."
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