Postcomm has said it is "minded to accept Royal Mail's request for additional revenues". If approved, mail houses may face price increases of up to 12 per cent from April 2011.

Royal Mail has asked Postcomm's permission to increase its charges for delivering bulk mail by up to seven per cent above inflation. The company is currently making a loss on mail distributed on behalf of its competitors.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint from BSkyB about a leaflet from Virgin Media. Claims made in the leaflet were 'misleading and unfair'.

A central opt-in system for paper directories is "an interesting idea" and would help "reduce the burden on resources and the environmental impact of phone books", government has said.

Local Government secretary Eric Pickles has told the Daily Telegraph that he wants local councils to "spend less time and money on weekly town hall Pravdas that end up in the bin".

Consumer Focus has set up a website to help people reduce junk mail and cold calling. Via stayprivate.org people can register with the Mailing Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service in one go.

Charities are often charged multiple times for returned Freepost envelopes. The claim has been made by a charity called, appropriately, 'Through the Roof'.

Taxpayers' personal details may have fallen into the hands of a list broker and sold to junk mailers. The Information Commissioner's Office has said it will investigate the case of 'Margaret Margaret'.

Postal workers and Royal Mail's have reached a deal on the company's modernisation plans. Householders can expect to receive more junk mail from their postie.

Phone books will no longer be delivered door-to-door in Belgium. It is the first European country to introduce an opt-in system for paper directories.