Postal workers have called on Royal Mail and e-commerce sites to limit the amount of non-essential items they are being asked to deliver at a time when they are risking their health by turning up to work. Despite the UK government’s closure of non-essential retail outlets, e-commerce companies can continue operating unless they decide to close voluntarily. But for the delivery workers who carry goods to customers in their homes, the responsibility of being a key worker is frequently undermined by the nature of the items being delivered. Emily, a postal worker in Scotland, said: “We are currently delivering video games and leaflets for local restaurants, when instead we could be ones who reduce the requirement for the elderly to go out to get food. The infrastructure we have can be used for good, but delivery of non-essentials must not come before our health.” Another postal worker, in comments shared on an employee forum, said: “We could be safe from this virus. But because the Royal Mail see Mother’s Day cards as essential work, apparently we all have to risk our lives and the safety of the country now. “You’re out exposing yourself and your families to this deadly virus for the ‘essential work’ of Screwfix magazines and eBay jewellery. Yes, we should have a skeleton service for coronavirus and other essential mail – medical supplies, groceries and toiletries. All other services should stop.” A spokesperson for CWU, the union that represents postal workers, said such complaints were common among its members. “Two weeks ago we announced an overwhelming strike ballot result but said that we weren’t going to call strike action during this period because it would be irresponsible. We said we want postal workers to become an additional emergency service in the UK. We believe this could really help the country in these unprecedented times,” they said. “But there has to be a serious discussion around the prioritisation of mail now: NHS letters, coronavirus testing kits, food parcels, we want them delivered by the Royal Mail. What we don’t want to be delivering is ‘here’s the latest shopping offers’ – what the public would call junk mail.”