Practice reacts to stamp price increase

Photo credit: Rex Features

Independents are likely to be the biggest losers following big increases in postal prices this week, but RD McFarlane Opticians in Scotland was one step ahead.

It stood to save £1,400 by bulk-buying 9,500 second class stamps to send out reminder letters.

From May 1 the cost of a first class stamp rose from 46p to 60p (30 per cent), and second class from 36p to 50p (38 per cent).

Optometrist Richard Spruce said the group has three practices which meant a franking machine was not cost effective and he was not keen to outsource reminders because the practices would lose control.