Do you want to Stamp Out your Junk Mail?
Every year the average British household receives 650 pieces of junk mail. The majority of junk mail we receive remains unopened or unread.
Receiving junk mail is not only a nuisance, it is also a waste of valuable resources. If you are fed up of receiving junk mail and want to reduce the amount of waste paper that comes through your letterbox, help is at hand.
Opt out schemes
The UK offers a number of ‘opt out schemes’ with each scheme putting a stop to different types of junk mail.
Royal Mail Door to Door ‘Opt Out’ Service
This free door to door ‘opt out’ service puts a stop to unaddressed mail distributed by Royal Mail and can reduce your junk mail by 3 – 6 pieces per week.
If you wish to opt out of receiving door to door mail items, please send or email your name and address to:
Freepost RSTR-YCYS-TGLJ
Royal Mail Door to Door Opt Outs
Kingsmead House
Oxpens Road
Oxford, OX1 1RX
Or email: optout@royalmail.com
You will receive an opt out from which you will need to sign and return. Unaddressed mail will then stop being delivered to your home by Royal Mail within 6 weeks.
Mailing Preference Service
The Mailing Preference Service (MPS) can put a stop to named and addressed junk mail sent from companies and organisations that you have never had any dealings with before. The MPS can remove your name and address from up to 95% of direct mailing lists.
You can register with the scheme for free via one of the following options:
Online: www.mpsonline.org.uk
Call: 0845 703 4599
Once you have registered with the MPS, it will take up to four months for you to notice a reduction in such mail.
Handy hints for avoiding junk mail
Visit Junk Buster
Junk Buster is your one stop shop for reducing junk mail. You can contact up to three junk mail opt out schemes and opt out of receiving the three main paper directories delivered door-to-door in the UK.
Visit Junk Buster to use this service
Stay tick box alert
It is important to stay ‘tick box’ alert whenever you buy a product or service that requires you to give your name and address. The company may want to use your details to send you further (junk) mail or to sell to third parties.
Take a few moments to read any small print. The tick boxes give you the opportunity to ‘opt out’ or ‘opt in’ to the company sending you more mail or selling your details.
No junk mail stickers
Opt out schemes will not stop local takeaways, business or local distribution companies posting flyers and mail through your door.
The best way to reduce such junk mail is by placing a ‘No Junk Mail’ sticker on your door or letterbox. This will not stop local newspapers being delivered.
If you would like a free sticker please call us on: 0114 273 4567 or email: sheffieldenquiries@veolia.co.uk
Talk to the junk mailers
If you keep receiving addressed mail from a specific company, simply give them a call and speak to them directly or send them a written request.
For more information about stamping out junk mail:
Visit: www.stopjunkmail.org.uk
Call us on: 0114 273 4567
Email us on: sheffieldenquiries@veolia.co.uk