Royal Mail has confirmed plans to introduce 3,500 redesigned postboxes fitted with solar technology, following a pilot earlier this year in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The company describes the move as the most significant update to its iconic red postboxes in 175 years, aimed at making it easier for customers to send and return parcels.

The upgraded boxes include a barcode scanner and a solar-powered drawer, allowing parcels up to shoebox size to be posted directly, alongside the usual letter slot. Customers using the Royal Mail app can also obtain proof of posting and track their items, bringing parcel services in line with modern shopping habits. The solar panels are positioned to face south to maximise efficiency, powering the new digital functions without affecting traditional letter services.

The rollout will begin in cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Sheffield and Sunderland, before expanding across the UK in the coming months. Jack Clarkson, managing director at Royal Mail, said the changes reflect the ongoing rise in online shopping and second-hand marketplaces: “With a postbox within half a mile of almost every household, we already offer the most convenient parcel network in the country.”

Alongside the new design, Royal Mail continues to expand its wider network of parcel services. Customers now have access to more than 23,500 drop-off and collection locations, including parcel lockers, Post Office branches, Collect+ stores, and Royal Mail customer service points, in addition to standard postboxes.