Royal Mail is owned by EP Group, a Czech-based company controlled by billionaire Daniel Křetínský, following a £3.6 billion acquisition completed in April 2025[3][4][7]. The company operates as part of International Distribution Services (IDS), and this transaction marks the first time that Royal Mail has come under foreign ownership[4]. The UK government retains a so-called “golden share,” which gives it a degree of oversight regarding national security and key operational decisions[4].
The Post Office (trading as Post Office Limited), on the other hand, remains a state-owned company, wholly owned by the UK government through the Department for Business and Trade and UK Government Investments[6][8]. However, the government has launched a public consultation on potentially changing its ownership structure to a mutual model, which could involve transferring ownership to thousands of subpostmasters in the future[2]. For now, the Post Office continues as a public entity with a network largely run by franchise partners and subpostmasters, with only a small percentage of branches managed directly by the company[6].
References
- [1] Royal Mail – We Own It
- [2] Post Office could hand ownership to employees amid …
- [3] Ofcom’s “reform” of Royal Mail opens the spigots for Křetínský’s …
- [4] Royal Mail
- [5] Royal Mail’s 2025 Postal Overhaul: A Strategic Pivot for Financial …
- [6] Post Office Limited
- [7] Royal Mail has a new owner, but its problems remain the same
- [8] Green Paper: Future of Post Office
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