Royal Mail Misses Targets
Royal Mail fails to meet delivery targets for first and second class post
Royal Mail has missed its delivery targets for first and second class post. The postal service delivered 85% of first class deliveries the next day between March and June, up from 76% in the same period of 2025, but below the 90% target set by regulator Ofcom.
Delivery Performance
The company's performance on second class mail was also short of the target, with 91% of deliveries made within three days, compared to Ofcom's 95% target. Royal Mail said the results are encouraging and show that the work it is doing to improve the service is having an impact.
Royal Mail, which is owned by International Distribution Services (IDS), has struggled with rising competition in the delivery market and fewer people sending letters. The company has faced fines from the regulator for missing targets in recent years, including a record £21m fine in October last year for missing targets in 2024-25.
Improvement Plan
Chief operating officer Jamie Stephenson said the results are encouraging and show that the work the company is doing to improve the service is having an impact. He added that there is more to do, pointing to a £500m investment plan to improve the firm over the next five years. The plan includes a commitment to meet Ofcom's delivery targets by May 2027.
The following table shows the delivery performance of Royal Mail:
| Type | Target | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First Class | 90% | 85% |
| Second Class | 95% | 91% |
Regulatory Action
The postal service is currently under investigation by Ofcom for the second year running for failure to meet its delivery targets. The company has faced criticism from politicians and the public over the slowness of its letter delivery. Royal Mail recently apologized to Gloucester residents where post was sometimes delayed for months, admitting its service there was totally unacceptable.
The company's turnaround plan, which aims to meet regulator Ofcom's targets by May 2027, is reportedly on track, according to Stephenson. He said the company is investing £500 million over five years and making significant changes across its network. The BBC reports that Royal Mail is working to improve its service, but it still has a long way to go to meet the targets set by Ofcom. The company's delivery performance will be closely watched in the coming months to see if it can meet its targets and improve its service.
