Post boxes across the UK have traditionally designed to accept letters and thin packages, but a new format of this receptacle is being trialled by Royal Mail in an effort to cater to the growing number of people who love safe shopping online.

The first run of larger post boxes, which are capable of accepting packages as well as standard letters, will be introduced in a handful of cities, including London, Leeds and Aberdeen, over the next few weeks. This rollout will continue to gather momentum until over 1400 are installed nationally before the end of the year, according to Internet Retailing.

The boxes will not only be an advantage for consumers who want to return items they have ordered online without having to visit a post office but also for small businesses that serve customers with deliveries. People who sell on eBay and other marketplace-style sites are also set to see improved access to shipping as a result of this change.

The first ever post boxes were introduced all the way back in the mid 19th century, and their design has remained relatively unchanged ever since, at least until this latest decision was taken.

Royal Mail believes that the benefits of the boxes will be many and varied, allowing people in areas without dedicated post offices to send packages with ease. It will also mean that even if the local post office is closed, a large parcel can still be shipped.

Whether or not this rollout will necessitate a change in the levels of security and monitoring that are attached to post boxes remains to be seen. Criminals could choose to target them more regularly if they realise that they contain valuable goods sent from online retailers and marketplace vendors.