MPs to 'name and shame' junk mailers

by Noelle McElhatton Marketing Direct 25-Jun-08, 11:00

LONDON - A group of MPs is threatening to "name and shame" brands that consistently send junk mail.

Paddy Tipping, Labour MP for Sherwood and chairman of the new All Party Group (APG) on Junk Mail, told Marketing Direct that the purpose of the group was to help stem the flow of paper-based DM into landfill by encouraging best practice, but that it would not baulk at naming persistent offenders.

The APG on Junk Mail, comprising18 MPs and two members of the House of Lords, will launch on 2 July, supported by suppression specialists The REaD Group. Members include MPs Peter Bottomley and Norman Baker, as well as Lord Colwyn.

Tipping called on heavy users of direct mail to join the body. "If I was sitting on their side of the table and saw this group being formed, I'd want to be involved," Tipping said. "We'll ask them, ‘are you targeting as well as you can do?', ‘what sort of data do you have on your database?, and ‘is your material recyclable?'"

The MPs were "practical people" who see the commercial purpose of direct mail. "I want to stress that it won't be an antagonistic relationship," Tipping said. "There is a role for direct mail and all we have to do is ensure best practice with rules that people are willing to comply with. I think that willingness exists and an All Party Group gives it extra focus."

APGs are informal bodies comprising backbench MPs from across the political divide, as well as ministers and non-parliamentarians.

Tipping is talking to Royal Mail, WRAP and environment minister Joan Ruddock to encourage their participation.

A ‘junk mail constituency toolkit' will be unveiled at the APG's launch as a resource to help MPs answer questions from constituents about junk mail and how to manage it.