Royal Mail accuses TNT Post of misleading public
An ad for TNT Post has been banned for being misleading after rival Royal Mail complained it implied TNT was subject to the same statutory obligation to deliver nationwide as it is.
The ad watchdog says the claim made in the Manchester-based campaign – “we operate under the same rules and regulations as Royal Mail” – was misleading.
In its ruling the Advertising Standards Authority says the claim – an answer to the question “how can I be sure my mail will get to me?” – implied TNT was subject to the Universal Service Obligation that requires Royal Mail to deliver to every UK address.
A separate complaint made by Royal Mail that the statement “every item delivered at a competitive price not just within Manchester but all over the UK” was also misleading because it suggested that the same end-to-end delivery service offered in Manchester was repeated nationwide.
The ruling marks a victory for Royal Mail in the on-going war of words between the two.
TNT Post, which offers an end-to end letters delivery service in parts of London and Liverpool as well as Manchester in direct competition with Royal Mail, recently told its rival to “stop whinging” after Royal Mail accused it of “cherry-picking” the more profitable routes, according to a BBC report.
