La Poste put an end, on January 1, to the red stamp for urgent letters distributed the next day to replace it with a dematerialized version. This service could disappear if customers do not use it more.
For the moment, the calculations are not good. The dematerialized version of the red letter is used only 3,500 times a day, said the CEO of La Poste on Wednesday February 15. “It’s not a lot”, assured Philippe Wahl, during a hearing before the Economic Affairs Committee of the Senate. He estimates that 5,000 to 10,000 daily shipments are needed to sustain the service.
If La Poste fails to reach these figures, this will mean, according to the manager, that customers “don’t need it anymore and we’ll delete it”, he added. La Poste put an end, on January 1, to the red stamp for urgent letters distributed the next day to replace it with a dematerialized version, which some call “paid e-mail”.
This service, which costs 1.49 euros, compared to 1.43 euros for the old red stamp, allows you to send documents with a maximum of three sheets on the laposte.fr site or in a post office, via an automatic machine or with the help of a postman, which will be printed near the addressee, put in an envelope and distributed the next day if it was sent before 8 p.m.
“Complicated” and “less satisfactory” service
“People like the red letter, (but) they don’t write it anymore”, reacted Philippe Wahl to the emotions aroused by the announcement, recalling that the number of priority letters has increased from 4.25 billion in 2008 to 380 million in 2021 and 275 million in 2022, out of 7 billion letters sent in total per year Today. At this rate, “in four years, there won’t be any left at all”he said, recalling the savings of some 500 million euros that contribute to “save the public service”and the positive impact on the carbon footprint of stopping this service.
“Industrially, the red letter had to be removed” because “needs were becoming so marginal”explained Phillipe Wahl. “I assume, and if I had to take the decision, I would take it again”, he added. Having “considered” pure and simple deletion, La Poste nevertheless preferred to offer the remote transmission solution, admittedly “complicated” And “less satisfying” but who will “may prove useful”continued the boss. “I don’t know, it’s the users who will choose”he concluded.