A friend has told me about their experience buying stamps in a newsagent in Crouch End – the newsagent added a mark-up and was selling first class stamps for 40p each.
Generally I’d be happy for shops to choose what to charge, but I think stamps are something a little different. In particular, because people expect them to be the same everywhere – and because you don’t pick them up off a shelf where you can see the price they are being sold at in that outlet – it’s too easy for people to be fooled into paying more without realising it. All the more so when you often go to the till with various items, ask for some stamps too – and then are charged a total where (unless you’ve kept a running total of your purchases as you go) you normally won’t notice any mark-up on the stamps.
Anyway – the Royal Mail doesn’t condone charging over the odds for stamps. So – (1) do watch out for what you’re being charged, and (2) if you are charged too much, you can ring them on 08457 640 640. I’d also be interested to hear from you, so I can gauge how widespread (or not) this issue is.
Lynne Featherstone 
Of course if the Post Office carry on with their plans to close all our local post offices then the only place to but stamps will be newsagents and other shops!Pleased to see that the Maid of Muswell pub has a petition supporting the Alexandra Park Road PO. Tim – Alexandra Park
As a serial letter writer, I buy stamps every week, a pack of six for £2.50 is a rip off!!!!!You feel financially exploited, but I don’t say anything. Really, I should perhaps kick up a fuss, but what good would that do. It should be, buy one and get one free. They charge far to much for a pack of stamps, which allow them to make money, and lots of it!!!!!