During the first lockdown, it was all about stockpiling loo paper. Today it is stamps that people are hoarding.
On Monday the price of a first-class stamp will rise by 30p to £1.65, which represents the seventh increase in five years.
The price has doubled since March 2022, when it cost 85p to send a letter first class. Royal Mail blames “a very real and urgent financial sustainability challenge”.
In recent days, customers have been posting photos on social media of the piles of first-class stamps they have purchased from post offices or retailers to beat the rise.
Stamps bought today for £1.35 can still be used tomorrow, next week, at Christmas and beyond — even though the price has gone up.
Nicholas Royle, 61,