The humble postage stamp is going digital.
The Royal Mail has announced barcodes being added to stamps will allow recipients of letters to watch videos or read messages composed by the sender.
They could be greetings or birthday wishes.
The move was announced after a successful trial by Royal Mail bosses today, who hailed a 'new era for stamps' and greater security benefits.
Unique barcodes are being added to all regular so-called 'definitive' stamps and Christmas stamps.
Definitive stamps are the stamps most familiar to people - they feature a profile of the Queen.
Non-barcoded stamps will be phased out, but remain usable until the end of January next year.
Customers can exchange them for free.
The Royal Mail said each barcoded stamp would have a digital 'twin', with the two connected by the Royal Mail App.
Customers can scan the barcodes in the app and will eventually be able to watch videos, information about services, or even birthday messages and other greetings from senders.
At the moment, a video featuring Shaun the Sheep, created exclusively for Royal Mail by animation studio Aardman, can be viewed.
It is the first in a series of planned videos to be released during 2022 that will allow customers sending stamped mail to choose which one the recipient can see when they receive an item of mail.
The barcodes match the stamp colour and sit alongside the main body of the stamp, separated by a simulated perforation line.
Nick Landon, Royal Mail chief commercial officer, said: "Introducing unique barcodes on our postage stamps allows us to connect the physical letter with the digital world and opens up the possibilities for a range of new innovative services in future."
Special issue stamps - printed as a one-off to commemorate a person, event or celebration - will not be barcoded, the Royal Mail added.
Non-barcoded stamps can be used as postage up until January 31, 2023, with a free 'swap' scheme set to launch for exchanges.
The Royal Mail has confirmed no personal data will be held in the stamp barcodes.
