A petition that calls for parliamentary scrutiny of plans to weaken the postal service for businesses and consumers, has crossed a key threshold that will now mandate the government to issue a formal response.

Launched by the UK’s Greeting Card Association, the petition now has over:- 10,000 signatures, reflecting the disquiet amongst its members about Royal Mail plans to cut back services, stopping Saturday second class deliveries altogether and pairing back the delivery of letters and cards with a second-class stamp to as few as two days per week.

The petition asks the government to amend legislation to ensure any changes to Royal Mail’s legal responsibilities under the:- ‘Universal Service Obligation’ (USO) are scrutinised by MPs and extend regulation that caps the price of second-class post, to the 1st class service, to avoid further above-inflation rises.

The public’s backing for the petition is timely, on:- Monday, 7 April 2025, the price of a 1st Class Stamp will rise from:- £1.65 to £1.70; the 6th rise in 3 years!  The 2d Class Stamp, which is only held in check by regulation which pegs it to inflation, will also go up on Monday from:- 85p to 87p.

The price of a first-class stamp at:- £1.70 is now rapidly approaching the:- £1.89 average cost of a greeting card in the UK.

The milestone also comes ahead of Ofcom's:- 10 April 2025 deadline, for responses to the plans it recently announced to weaken Royal Mail’s obligations under the USO.

Full details are below and in the attached PDF and its latest social posts outlining the concerns of members can be found downloaded using this Link.

The GCA, represents over 500 publishers, retailers, agents, specialist suppliers and distributors that make up an industry worth over £1.5bn to the UK economy.