16 April 2010 
 
 
 
Mr Richard Cook 
Freedom of Information Unit  
 
2nd Floor 
By Email: [FOI #30911 email] 
Royal Mail Sheffield 
 
Pond Street 
 
Sheffield 
 
S98 6HR 
 
 
 
[Royal Mail Group request email] 
www.royalmail.com 
 
Dear Mr Cook 
Re: Freedom of Information Request 
I am writing in response to your request for information which was submitted online on 
17th March 2010.  We have considered your request under the terms of the Freedom of 
Information Act 2000.  You submitted the following request: 
“Please can you tell me how much money the Group spends on rubber bands used by 
postmen/women to bundle mail for delivery?” 
Royal Mail uses rubber bands because they are necessary when it comes to effective 
sorting and delivering the mail.  Royal Mail does re-use many millions of rubber bands each 
year and we know the vast majority are recycled within delivery offices and mail centres.  
We regularly remind our postmen and women through official guidance, staff newsletters 
and at face-to-face, team briefings of the importance of avoiding litter and the benefits of 
re-using bands. The rubber bands we use are designed to be more biodegradable than the 
normal rubber brown bands, rotting away naturally over time, and this is intending to help 
minimise any impact on the environment. 
 
The annual amount spent on Rubber Bands has previously been published by Royal Mail.  
During the 2008/2009 financial year Royal Mail Group spent a total of £1,058.152 on 
rubber bands.  This figure is the latest available for a complete year.  You asked for us to 
break these figures down by region and provide specifically the figures for Cardiff.  
Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide a regional break down of the annual amount 
spent in 2008/09 – this information is not held by Royal Mail.  Royal Mail has only recently 
this year begun to record such figures at regional level.   
 
Royal Mail Group Limited registered in England and Wales registered number4138203 registered office 3rd Floor, 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ. 
 
 
© Royal Mail Group Ltd 2009– Page 1 of 2 
 

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Cont… 
 
I hope that this suitably answers your request.  If for any reason you are not satisfied with 
this response, you do have the right to request a review.  If you wish to do so please set out 
in writing your grounds of appeal and send to the Head of Information Compliance, Royal 
Mail Group, Company Secretary’s Office, 100 Victoria Embankment, LONDON, EC4Y 0HQ.  
An internal panel will then review the decision, and you will be advised of the outcome. 
If you decide to appeal and are still not satisfied with our response you also have a right to 
appeal to the Information Commissioner at: 
 
Information Commissioner's Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire  
SK9 5AF  
Telephone: 01625 545 700 
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
Kate Fearn 
Freedom of Information Case Officer 
[Royal Mail Group request email] 
 
Royal Mail Group Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Registered number 4138203. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ. 
 
© Royal Mail Group Ltd 2009– Page 2 of 2 
 

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