Royal Mail today unveiled a package of Christmas initiatives, including evening and Sunday deliveries, as it prepares to deliver an estimated 140 million items ordered online this Christmas.

With 28 million people across the UK expected to spend £13.16 billion online in the run up to Christmas, Royal Mail has responded with a range of measures to make it easier for people to receive items they have ordered even if they are not at home during the day.

Across most parts of the UK, Royal Mail will undertake extra delivery rounds on the morning of Sunday 21 December and between 6pm and 9pm on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December to give customers a second chance to take delivery of parcels we were unable to deliver during the standard deliveries.

The opening hours of all of Royal Mail’s 1,400 delivery offices will also be extended from 15 December, increasing convenience for customers who need to pick up parcels and packets. For the first time, delivery offices will also be open on the afternoon of Sunday 21 December.

Customers can also arrange redeliveries of items to their home address or a neighbour in the normal way via www.royalmail.com/redelivery or ask for items to be taken to a Post Office® branch, through a service called Local Collect.

Royal Mail is sending an information card to every address in the UK during November, with the first landing on doormats from Monday 17 November, telling them of the seasonal delivery initiative. Customers will receive more detailed information on the options available to them, including the opening hours of their local delivery office, on customised cards left at their homes if they are not in to receive an item when Royal Mail attempts delivery.

Mark Higson, Royal Mail Managing Director, said: "Royal Mail is prepared for its biggest online Christmas ever and has taken steps to help people get their items as quickly as possible - even if they are not at home when we first try to deliver.

"The majority of items ordered online are delivered first time but we have put in place a package of measures to help people who are not home to receive the item, in cases where it is too big to go through the letterbox or requires a signature."

Royal Mail’s Christmas plans have been endorsed by e-retail body IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group), which this week predicted online sales in the final quarter of 20008 would rise 15 per cent on the same period last year to £13.16 billion.

James Roper, Chief Executive of IMRG, said: "The online retail industry has made great strides to give shoppers even greater choice about when and where their items are delivered and Royal Mail’s initiative provides even greater convenience for people at the busiest online shopping time of year.

"Satisfaction with the delivery of goods bought online has risen faster than any other aspect of internet shopping in recent years to become one of its most popular features, and the additional services Royal Mail is putting in place will ensure that this Christmas is a happy and successful one for e-retailers and their customers."

Online retailer Firebox.com already provides its customers with a range of delivery choices, including Royal Mail’s services to deliver items direct to Post Office branches, if the customer knows they will not be at home, or the same day in the London area.

Managing Director, Christian Robinson, said: "Christmas is the most important period in the retail calendar and we are delighted that Royal Mail will improve the online shopping experience for our customers by introducing Sunday and evening deliveries."