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Early last month, 35,000 marketing services firms received explanatory packs, including direct marketing agencies, printers and mailing houses.

This month will see a wider mail-out to UK businesses comprising detailed information on the changes, along with a sizing template and pricing stickers, to enable recipients to compare current prices with those coming into force under PiP.

The overall campaign includes TV, radio and press advertising, mail, as well as information available in post offices throughout the UK.

Royal Mail is also sending paper sizing templates to every UK household.

"These information packs are designed to remind our customers in marketing services about the changes and to let them know that we will be contacting businesses, which may include their clients, in January," said Lorna Clarkson, director of commercial policy and pricing at Royal Mail.

Royal Mail is introducing PiP to re-adjust the balance between postage prices and the cost of collecting, sorting and delivering mail. It has estimated that under the new scheme up to 30 per cent of business mail will be affected with half of that becoming cheaper to mail.

The overall effect of PiP will be to raise prices for light but large or unusually shaped items, but lower them for heavier, more regular-sized mail.

It will split mail into three pricing categories: letters, which includes most small and medium-sized envelopes up to half the size of A4; large letters up to A4 size; and packets, which incorporates everything else.

Price will be calculated according to size, weight and thickness.