Royal Mail explains how to use barcode artwork generator

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Express readers have voiced their displeasure about the Royal Mail’s plan to phase out existing stamps for barcoded ones. By January 31 2023, ‘1st’ or ‘2nd’ class stamps, or any other priced stamps, with the Queen’s head on them or are Christmas-themed will not be valid for postage. One-off commemorative stamps will not be barcoded.

The Royal Mail has told Britons they can exchange current stamps for barcoded ones for free under Royal Mail’s new ‘Swap Out’ scheme.

However, they also said those who try to use the existing stamps will have to pay a surcharge after the new barcoded ones are introduced.

The scheme opens on March 31 2022 and will run until March 31 2023, but the website is not live as of writing.

Britons are expected to fill in a ‘Swap Out’ form from its website, or call it, or get one from a local delivery firm, and then post back the stamps for swapping.

However, stamps will not be able to be swapped at post offices.

Express.co.uk readers were furious at the change, with most taking issue with how the Royal Mail will not accept older stamps over the counter at post offices.

User ‘The taxilady’ said: “This legalised theft!!!! You should be able to take your existing ones to the post office counter for a refund or it is FRAUD.”

Another user, ‘FrattonEnd’, said: “Ever since it was sold off the mail service in this country has been c***.

“It is no longer the Royal Mail in my opinion, just a second rate delivery service.”

More users chimed in to voice their anger, with user ‘REDTOON1892’ saying : “‘reinventing stamps for the future’.

“In other words we have found another way to screw cash out of you.”

User ‘H E’ also said: “There should be a legal challenge to this as it was not made clear there would be a use-by date when the stamp was sold.”

However, user ‘Yetti’ replied: “You’ve got a year to use them and over a year to swap them. No real hardship.

“Depending on when they were bought, the new system hadn’t been announced so could you have been warned about the validity of the stamps?”

Each barcoded stamp has a ‘digital twin’ containing the unique code alongside it, separated by a simulated perforation line.

The group said it was “reinventing stamps for the future”.

Royal Mail stated: “The barcode also enables us to innovate and create new features. One of which we have just launched: linking a video.

“Just to put your mind to rest, there will be no personal held data in the barcode.”

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said on the website: “For years, every time stamps go up in price I’ve suggested people stock up and bulk-buy in advance, as provided the stamp doesn’t have a price on it and instead just says the postage class, it’s still valid after the hike.

“This has been an effective tactic, as a first-class letter stamp is now 85p – a decade ago it was just 60p.

“So this change will come as a shock to the many stamp-hoarders out there. It’s the first time I can remember you’ve not been able to just lick it and stick it.

“And we don’t yet know if you’ll still be able to swap the stamps after March 2023, so this is a call to arms (or tongues) to ensure you either use ’em or swap ’em.”

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