Cost of posting mail offshore to rise

Sending mail overseas will soon be more expensive.

New Zealand Post says it is raising prices from July 7 after seven years of holding them in the face of increasing costs.

Postal Services chief executive Peter Fenton today said the price increases were largely driven by what overseas postal organisations charged NZ Post to deliver mail in other countries.

"While we've held the prices of sending mail internationally for seven years, it means we've absorbed significant increased charges.

"It's not sustainable to keep doing this especially as costs are forecast to rise again in the next year."

Among the changes, the price of sending a parcel overseas would increase on average by 10 percent with individual price changes varying according to the weight and destination of parcels.

With international letters one price would fall, some would remain the same, and others increase by up to 20 percent.

The changes affected international air and international economy letters and parcels, but not international courier services, Mr Fenton said.

- NZPA