Royal Mail faces fresh scrutiny after Ofcom launched another investigation into the postal giant’s woeful delivery performance, with almost a quarter of first-class mail arriving late.
But critics aren’t just pointing fingers at poor management – they’re suggesting something far more sinister.
MPs and industry watchers are increasingly convinced that Royal Mail has been deliberately missing delivery targets to undermine the Universal Service Obligation and pave the way for Daniel Kretinsky’s £3.6bn foreign takeover to secure more favourable terms.
The latest figures show that 23.5% of first-class mail failed to arrive within the one-working-day target in the year to March 2025.
While this represents a slight improvement on the previous year’s dismal 25% failure rate, it’s still miles off the required 93% delivery standard set by Ofcom.
Royal Mail Deliberately Missing Delivery Targets: The Political Angle
Kate Osborne MP, who worked for Royal Mail for 25 years before entering Parliament, pulled no punches in her assessment of the situation. In a recent Facebook post, she wrote:
“Royal Mail bosses have been deliberately missing targets, cutting staff from delivery offices & missing targets to ‘prove’ their Universal Service Obligation no longer works.
They continue to take millions in profit whilst reducing our postal service, though. I held a debate on this in parliament and have called out Royal Mails mismanagement time & time again.”
Her insider knowledge adds weight to suspicions that the company’s poor performance isn’t just down to operational challenges, but represents a calculated strategy to weaken public confidence in the six-day delivery service.
The Convenient Timing of Service Cuts
The timing couldn’t be more convenient for the new Czech ownership.
Ofcom has already begun floating proposals to slash second-class deliveries to just twice a week and eliminate Saturday deliveries entirely – changes that would save Royal Mail between £250m and £425m annually.
These proposed cuts to the Universal Service Obligation come just as Royal Mail has been making other changes to postboxes with solar-powered upgrades, suggesting the company isn’t short of investment cash when it suits their agenda.
For consumers already frustrated by Royal Mail’s inability to provide basic van tracking and confusing status updates like “Sorry, we’re unable to confirm the status of your item”, the prospect of even more limited service is deeply concerning.
Ofcom’s Toothless Response
Despite imposing fines totalling more than £16m over the past two years, Ofcom’s penalties appear to be having little effect. The regulator has launched yet another investigation, but given Royal Mail’s track record, few are holding their breath for meaningful change.
Kate Osborne MP was equally unimpressed with the regulator’s response: “Ofcom needs to take a much stronger line than they did last time they fined them. They need to be told in no uncertain terms that their attempts to convince people a 6 day a week postal service is unachievable will not wash.”
The MP stressed that the six-day postal service remains “a vital lifeline for many in the community, NHS appointments, and print businesses” that “must be protected.”
A Service Under Siege
With Royal Mail now under foreign ownership for the first time in its 508-year history, and saddled with around £5 billion in debt from the takeover, the pressure to cut costs has never been greater.
The question is whether deliberate service degradation will become the new normal as the company seeks to justify reducing its obligations to the British public.
For now, customers can only hope their post arrives eventually – though if you’re wondering about Royal Mail’s bank holiday schedule or need to understand the difference between Royal Mail and Parcelforce, we’ve got you covered.
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