Parcel postage to UK warning
You cannot send parcels to UK PO-box addresses via ColiPoste or Chronopost because of rules in the UK.
IT MAY be of interest to your readers to be know that the British parcel courier Parcelforce will not deliver to a PO box address in the UK. The item will simply travel to the UK and be returned undelivered. I believe ColiPoste - the parcel delivery service of La Poste - are aware of Parcelforce’s rules and La Poste should not accept parcels so addressed.
WILLIAM-GLYN THOMAS
Haute-Vienne
A spokesman for the Royal Mail Group, which owns Parcelforce, confirmed Parcelforce cannot deliver to PO boxes. This is because although it belongs to Royal Mail Group it is run as a separate firm and does not have access to PO boxes. Also Parcelforce deliveries must be signed for, which is not possible when delivering to a PO box.
A La Poste spokesman confirmed ColiPoste is the main service used for sending parcels (the alternative is the faster and more expensive Chronopost, which is also signed-for) and its UK partner is Parcelforce, therefore British PO Box numbers should not be used. A normal physical delivery address should be used.
He added that local post offices in France could not be expected to know the delivery practices for each foreign country and said a written complaint should be made to the branch from which the parcel was sent. If it is agreed the French service made an error you may be refunded.
