Royal Mail’s Delivery Target Changes, what do they mean for my Direct Mail?

Change within the Direct Mail Industry

It’s an old adage, but still true: change always brings opportunities. Looking at it positively and embracing the challenge can be rewarding.

As an industry, there’s no doubt about it—the upcoming changes in Royal Mail delivery are significant. In my time within the industry, this is the biggest shift I can remember.

Change often evokes mixed emotions. It can pull us away from our comfort zones, disrupting the familiar and unsettling the way things work. Conversely, change can be exciting—offering unknown challenges and opportunities that fuel our natural curiosity.

For those who haven’t yet reviewed the details, the upcoming changes are outlined within Ofcom’s ‘Protecting the Postal Service for the Future’ article. Which we’ve highlighted below:

“We are proposing two sets of changes to Royal Mail’s delivery targets:

Small changes to the primary targets – for First Class mail from 93% to 90% delivered next-day, and for Second Class mail from 98.5% to 95% delivered within three days.”

Is it time for Direct Mail to step out of its ‘Comfort Zone’?

Rather than a hurdle, these changes present a major opportunity. This new delivery model should bring greater certainty to in-home dates. With a more programmable approach to mailing data, marketers will have better planning capabilities to maximise campaign impact.

The next logical step is to adopt a more data-driven approach, enabling more precise targeting and, crucially, better reporting.

We know from the latest JICMAIL report just how powerful direct mail is—its ability to drive purchases, responses, and engagement is unmatched. The statistics on attribution are impressive, showcasing the impact direct mail can have for advertisers.

Take a look at the report here; https://www.jicmail.org.uk/resources/super-touchpoints/

By adapting to fixed delivery days for each postcode, marketers can unlock new opportunities to test, refine, and optimise their campaigns. The final mailing pack can be tailored in multiple ways—leveraging personalised data, insert selectivity, and demographic-driven variations. This shift creates an exciting opportunity to be more strategic and bold with direct mail planning.

Data-driven Direct Mail Successes

I’ve recently seen two very different organisations achieve success by stepping outside their traditional comfort zones:

A charity embraced Partially Addressed Mail and used advanced targeting to drive donations from unlikely areas. By combining existing data with a fresh approach, they reached new donors—and the results were fantastic.
A local theatre took the plunge with a beautifully printed show guide. Incorporating premium elements like foil and lamination, along with multiple versions and targeted data, the campaign was a success. Ticket sales were strong, and the printed guide had an extended shelf life—so much so that additional copies had to be printed due to high demand!

These case studies highlight the power of direct mail when organisations step beyond their traditional strategies.

I truly believe that 2025–2026 represents a prime opportunity for businesses—large and small—to reset and rethink their direct mail activity.

Embrace change, make your direct mail work harder, and reap the rewards.

Article written by Richard Morrow, Director at Central Mailing Services.

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