Coming in the post: Stamp prices in France set to rise

France’s national post service La Poste has announced stamp prices will rise from next year.

They will go up on average by 8.3%. The biggest increase will be reserved for the timbre vert, which will rise by 11.2%.

La Poste said the changes come “against a backdrop of inflation and falling mail volumes”, with fewer people using their services.

The organisation claimed the rises would “ensure the long-term viability of the universal postal service, with a high level of quality”.

It added the rises would have “no impact on household budgets” and claimed the average annual household spend on using the service – 0.1% – would not change.

Changes from next year

The prices have already been announced, but the actual costs of the stamps will not change until January 1, 2024.

Below is a list of changed prices:

• The timbre vert or green stamp will go from €1.16 to €1.29

• The Lettre services plus (turquoise stamp) will increase from €2.95 to €2.99

• A Lettre recommandée (recorded delivery letter) will jump from €4.83 to €5.36

• The tariff for sending letters to international destinations weighing between 0.1 and 20g will increase from €1.80 to €1.96 – this is the same regardless of whether it is the EU or the rest of the world.

• The cost of sending a Colissimo package weighing less than 250g will increase from €4.95 to €4.99

The e-stamp (e-lettre rouge) at €1.49 and the sticker to track mail (suivi) at €0.50 will remain unchanged.

In the announcement, La Poste highlighted in particular Colissimo packages and green stamps as being two products whose prices had not changed in a number of years despite Covid and inflation.

Wider reformation

The scheduled changes are part of La Poste’s effort to restructure the service, increasing its presence in rural areas and relying on online services in larger population areas.

It is part of the 2023 Contrat de présence postale territorial, signed between La Poste, l'association des Maires de France (AMF) and the French state.

The contract – which covers the years 2023 - 2025 – aims to continue the postal service’s modernisation and help it find its place within the 21st century.

Other changes included as part of the contract will see up to 1,000 post offices in rural areas increase their opening hours, including on Saturdays and market days.

Despite attempts to increase their online presence, the new e-stamp, which replaced the traditional timbre rouge at the beginning of this year, has seen a slow uptake.

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