International Distribution Services (IDS), which owns Royal Mail, has acquired a 49% stake in Collect+ for £43.9 million. The deal values the parcel network at £90m and will see around 8,000 Collect+ outlets — typically newsagents, supermarkets and petrol stations — rebranded under the Royal Mail name.
Postage over the counter
For the first time, customers will be able to buy Royal Mail postage over the counter in these shops, rather than having to pay online in advance. The stores will also continue to handle parcel collections, returns and drop‑offs for other carriers, with extended opening hours including evenings and weekends.
Royal Mail says the move will strengthen its position as the UK’s largest out‑of‑home parcel point network, at a time when demand for parcel services is booming.
Not Post Offices
The new Royal Mail Shops will not be Post Offices. The Post Office was separated from Royal Mail in 2012 and remains a completely separate business. That means services such as banking, bill payments and passport applications will not be available in the new outlets.
Local impact
Across Swansea Bay and Neath Port Talbot, Collect+ points already operate in dozens of convenience stores. These are among the outlets expected to be rebranded as Royal Mail Shops in the coming months, although Royal Mail has not yet published a store‑by‑store list.
That means residents are likely to see familiar corner shops and supermarkets switching to Royal Mail branding, but the exact locations will only become clear as the rollout progresses.
“More convenient”
Royal Mail chief executive Alistair Cochrane said:
“The launch of the Royal Mail Shop brand creates a new and improved high street destination for all of our customers’ parcel needs in one location. This investment is one of the ways we’re making Royal Mail more convenient.”
The company has also announced plans to install self‑service kiosks in some shops from 2026.
