Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg
In the wake of a tough few years for the U.S. Postal Service, the agency has come up with a new way to stay relevant: popsicle-scented, scratch-and-sniff stamps.
Courtesy U.S. Postal Service
The post office announced Monday that it would begin selling the stamps, called Frozen Treats Forever, next month. Each of the stamps features an image of popsicles in various forms, ranging from fruity to chocolate. The exact scent will be the same for all stamps, and will be announced with the launch of the stamps on June 20.
I'm hoping this opens the gate for a full 1980s scratch 'n sniff sticker-style redo- pizza, root beer, pine tree, skunk... U.S. Postal Service announces first-ever scratch and sniff stamp with popsicle scent https://t.co/BL1S2eYnRN
— Kim Baker (@kim_bak) May 21, 2018
#USPS, I have so missed 1986... https://t.co/gi7cc2grHS
— Erin Egloff (@ErinEgloff3485) May 21, 2018
The USPS posted a $1.3 billion loss in its second fiscal quarter, which it attributed to “inflexible” government policy, as well as inflation and a decline in the volume of first-class mail. The Postal Service, however, has seen growth in its package business, despite comments from President Donald Trump that the service was losing “billions of dollars” because of a “Delivery Boy” deal with e-commerce giant Amazon.com .
Trump in March incorrectly asserted that the Postal Service loses an average of $1.50 per delivery executed for Amazon.
While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that “the size of the company’s lobbying staff has ballooned,” and that...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018
That’s not the first time that Trump slammed the Postal Service. Last year he referred to the government agency as becoming “dumber and poorer” for losing money. The Postal Service has lost money for 11 straight years, mostly because of pension and health-care costs. While online shopping has led to growth in its package delivery business, that hasn’t offset declines in first-class mail.
Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer? Should be charging MUCH MORE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017