When is a tube not a tube - packaging

TheGardener

I'm struggling to find an answer to this - is a cardboard triangular box classed as a tube or a parcel when it comes to Royal Mail (or any other courier for that matter) postage costs? 

tightauldgit

Do you mean like a Toblerone box shape? That shape is sold as a postage tube so I imagine it should be classed as a tube provided it fits the dimension requirements. 

https://www.kitepackaging.co.uk/scp/protection-and-wrapping/triangular-postal-tubes/

TheGardener

Yes, that's the sort of thing I mean - tubes cost more 'because they have to be hand sorted as they roll on the machines and barcodes on them are hard to scan' according to my local sorting office  - as the triangles solve both those problems I wondered if the postage would be the same as a small parcel but perhaps not then

molerat

Surely as long as it is no more than 45cm length and 16 cm diameter it is a small parcel.

A triangle likely does not have to be equilateral as long as the tip to base is no more 35cm.

TheGardener

molerat said:

Surely as long as it is no more than 45cm length and 16 cm diameter it is a small parcel.

That's what I'd hoped but tubes are priced differently to standard small parcels, due to the issues mentioned above. Current RM prices are 'from' 2.99 for a small parcel and 'from' 4.49 for a tube so the saving is significant. Triangles seem like a good way to save on the weight of the packaging and use less of it from an enviro point of view but it seems a triangle may still be a tube as far as RM prices are concerned. 

km1500

a tube is defined as a long holow cylinder

a cylinder is defined as having a circular cross section, thus your toblerone is not a tube - is will go small or medium parcel.

RM have a picture of one

https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/89/~/size-and-weight-guide-–-uk-letters-and-parcels

molerat

Where are you seeing different pricing for tubes ?

Rantband

molerat said:

Where are you seeing different pricing for tubes ?

https://send.royalmail.com/send/youritem?country=GBR&format&weight=&weightUnit=G

molerat

Not something that shows on the standard RM sizing / pricing leaflet.  Although there is an open to interpretation wording on the business pricing leaflet. No wonder there is confusion.

prettyandfluffy

Put the item in the tube, then put that in a poly mailing bag and send as a parcel.

TheGardener

Other than take a triangular one to the post/sorting office  - and even than I suspect it will subject to the opinion/interpretation of whichever member of staff on duty - I'm not sure where else I can go. @prettyandfluffy - Nice idea  but I suspect my recipient might be subject to additional charges or the PO will refuse to accept it? Is this something you have tried?