£878 million collective claim against Royal Mail

21 Jun 2024

International Distribution Services Limited (formerly Royal Mail plc) has been served with a £878m collective action on behalf of an estimated 290,000 purchasers of bulk mail.

In 2018, Ofcom found that Royal Mail abused a dominant position in 2014 to exclude a competing provider, Whistl, from the market for bulk mail delivery services. Ofcom fined Royal Mail £50m for that conduct. Ofcom’s conclusions and the fine were upheld on appeal by the CAT and Court of Appeal.

The claim is brought on behalf of all persons who purchased or paid for relevant bulk mail services at any time after 10 January 2014. Bulk mail is a type of mail typically sent by organisations such as NHS Trusts, retailers, charities, local authorities, banks, utility companies, advertisers and publishers.  It includes bills, council tax statements, bank statements, charity fundraising appeals, advertising mail and some magazine subscriptions.

Paul Harris KC, Ben Rayment and Will Perry are instructed by Lewis Silkin LLP for the Proposed Class Representative, Bulk Mail Claim Limited.

Mr Robin Aaronson, the PCR’s sole director, was previously a member of the Competition Commission and PostComm.

For press coverage, see The Guardian.

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