News archive (2009)
The 'environmental impact' of junk mail was in the news a couple of times in 2009. The Direct Marketing Association introduced PAS 2020, a voluntary environmental standard for junk mail. In response Royal Mail set up a 'green' bulk mail service called Sustainable Mail.
The Direct Marketing Association was less enthusiastic about my Junk Buster website, launched in March. Making it easier for people to register with opt-out schemes is as yet a bridge too far for the junk mail industry.
The consultation on the future of the Edited Electoral Register started in November - exactly a year after it was first announced.
Junk mail news in 2009
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MP's 'junk mail allowance' to be abolished
- From January 2010 MPs will no longer be able to claim expenses for sending 'junk mail'. Abolishing the 'communications allowance' was one of the recommendations in the Kelly Report on MP's expenses.
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Charities ignore complaints about junk mail
- Only four of the 16 charities the Institute of Fundraising recently accused of breaching its code of conduct are willing to 'mend their ways'.
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Consultation on Edited Electoral Register
- Government has published a consultation paper on the future of the Edited Electoral Register. Six options are being considered for the future of the register.
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VAT exemption for junk mail remains
- HM Revenue & Customs has told Royal Mail that it will need to start charging VAT on some of its services - but an exemption for junk mail will remain in place.
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Former conman told not to scam for twelve months
- A scam artist who sent 136,000 misleading letters on behalf of UK Incentives & Promotions Ltd has been given a 12-month order not to send further scam letters.
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Institute of Fundraising criticises 'poor direct mail practices'
- The Institute of Fundraising has accused 22 charities of using "poor direct marketing practices". However, it can only 'privately ask the charities to mend their ways'.
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192.com calling for opt-in system for phone books
- Online directory 192.com has today relaunched its 'Say no to Phone books' campaign. The company is now calling for a central opt-in scheme for 'weightiest junk mail of all'.
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Councils spend £4.5bn on waste
- Local councils have been criticised for not doing enough to cut waste. Few councils spend money on waste prevention programmes, with only one in four councils encouraging people to reduce junk mail.
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New Junk Buster launched
- Stop Junk Mail has today introduced an improved version of its 'Junk Buster' widget. Junk Buster V2 should prevent further attempts by the Direct Marketing Assocation to block the service.
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Inventor of junk mail opt-out dies
- John Jay Daly, the man who developed the idea that consumers should be able to opt out of 'direct marketing' advertising, has died aged 80.
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Royal Mail 'failing not to deliver'
- Royal Mail's Door-to-Door Opt-Out is supposed to stop all unaddressed mail items delivered by the postman. But does it? Stop Junk Mail has asked 100 people how effective they think Royal Mail's opt-out scheme is.
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Bulk mailers least paper efficient
- A study into the paper consumption of 20 major UK companies shows that while some financial companies and publishers of magazines have drastically reduced their paper consumption, many bulk mailers are still unwilling to even discuss paper waste.
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Mailing Preference Service refusing to be contacted
- The Mailing Preference Service, the most used junk mail opt-out scheme in the UK, has told Stop Junk Mail that it will ignore householders requesting an opt-out pack via its Junk Buster website.
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Postcomm to give go-ahead to Sustainable Mail
- Postcomm has in principle given Royal Mail permission to offer a discount for distributing 'green' mail-outs.
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Stop Junk Mail launches Junk Buster
- Stop Junk Mail has launched a 'Junk Buster' application that makes it possible for UK residents to register with up to six junk mail opt-out schemes in one go.
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OFT launches spoof websites
- The Office of Fair Trading has set up two spoof websites to show the methods used by scammers to rip-off consumers. The products advertised on the sites are 'FatFoe' and 'Glucobate'.
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Royal Mail plans 'green' bulk mail service
- Royal Mail has announced it is hoping to launch a 'green' bulk mail service from April this year. It's 'Sustainable Mail' product has yet to be approved by Postcomm.
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February again Scams Awareness Month
- The Office of Fair Trading will once again ask the public to fight back against scammers in the month of February. However, it has reduced 'Scam Awareness Month' to a fortnight.
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Defra urges bulk mailers to support PAS 2020 standard
- Government may not impose strict environmental legislation on the junk mail industry if it gets behind PAS 2020, a new environmental code for junk mail.
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Direct Marketing Association launches new environmental standard for junk mail
- The Direct Marketing Association is launching a new environmental standard for junk mail. Although PAS 2020 is a voluntary code only the association urges junk mailers to adhere to the standard.