for local government

InMijnBus helps municipalities

InMijnBus helps householders in receipt of Spotta leaflet packages more easily manage their preferences than the current letterbox stickers allow. Research shows that up to 15% of households would like to use a sticker (GfK commissioned by MailDB, 2021), but find organising one too much bother, or they think it looks ugly on their letterbox (GfK commissioned by Milieu Centraal, 2020). InMijnBus dispels these objections, resulting in fewer unread leaflet packages ending up in the recycling bin. This entails an increase of more than 40%, over & above the on average 35% currently with a sticker (GfK commissioned by Milieu Centraal, 2020). In terms of reduced raw materials, that equates to 21 million kg across The Netherlands. This yields a positive contribution, notably towards the national government's VANG [From Waste to Raw Materials] objectives.

InMijnBus is an initiative devised by MailDB, the trade organisation that has provided and managed the national system of letterbox stickers for more than 30 years. This concept was launched in January 2022, with the ambition to replace letterbox stickers. Spotta, the largest leaflet distribution company, is keen and has initiated a pilot for just the Spotta leaflet package. From 1 October to 31 December 2022, InMijnBus will be piloted in selected post codes in Ede and Utrecht. Nationwide implementation will begin as of January 2023. In terms of volume and weight, Spotta enjoys >90% of the Dutch market share in distributed leaflet packages. Even if Spotta were the only one to implement this online preference registration, InMijnBus will still significantly contribute towards the itemised impact.

So how does InMijnBus work for the consumer?

Discover

Why the change?

Sustainability
Businesses
Householder wishes
Innovation

Marketing mail meets consumer and advertiser demand. Advertiser demand is still strong, however, consumer choice has changed in line with increased sustainability awareness. InMijnBus helps householders manage their (temporary) preferences, and as such stimulates the reduction of unread advertising leaflets in recycled waste.


Advertising leaflets only have an impact on advertisers if they are read. In marketing terms this is know as 'effective reach'. InMijnBus will ensure a greater percentage of advertising leaflets are actually asked for by the consumer, as (temporarily) changing delivery preferences of the Spotta leaflet package will become much easier. One consequence is that businesses will be able to inform and engage their potential customers at a lower cost. This in turn will minimise retail vacancy rates.

70% of households wishing to receive advertising leaflets read them to stay up-to-speed of special offers (GfK commissioned by Milieu Centraal, 2020). 53% of households read leaflets in order to save money (GfK commissioned by MailDB, 2021) and 22% of households indictate the need for advertising leaflets to make ends meet financially (GfK commissioned by MailDB, 2021). InMijnBus ensures households requiring weekly advertising leaflets will continue receiving them.

Online registration of individual household preferences means we can specify advertising folder print runs with far greater accuracy. Online registration also facilitates subsequent steps whereby households can state their leaflet delivery preferences themselves.

About MailDB

Association

MailDB stands for Mail Distribution Businesses and is the trade association of businesses distributing door-to-door media in The Netherlands. Since 1992, MailDB has covered and financed advertising self-regulation with NO-NO and NO-YES stickers, on the basis of Code VOR [Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements]. This Code falls under the Advertising Code Committee. Besides making letterbox stickers available, self-regulation also covers the administration thereof and complaint handling.

Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements and InMijnBus

Spotta always adheres to householder leaflet package preferences, such as indicated with letterbox stickers. Householders who for whichever reason do not wish to affix a letterbox sticker, can indicate their (temporary) preference on InMijnBus. This overrides any potential letterbox stickers. The Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements remains in situ as, over and above national distributor Spotta, a further 100 or so leaflet distribution companies exist, as well as many thousands more associations and retailers across The Netherlands who adhere to and respect NO-YES and NO-NO stickers in their deliveries.

Advertising Code

The Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements is one of 22 specific codes of conduct promoted by the Advertising Code Committee. Within the nationwide availability of letterbox stickers, the Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements covers the banning of advertising leaflets and/or door-to-door newspapers, implementation, complaints handling, and a sanctions policy. Please see https://www.reclamecode.nl/nrc.

Privacy

InMijnBus privacy aspects

Any preference changes made on InMijnBus with regard to (temporary) delivery of the Spotta leaflet package are registered as per the GDPR implementation agreement principle. In making preference choices, householders at a given address remain anonymous on InMijnBus. No personal data is requested or collated. Only the preferences of a given address are registered. As such, the registration of personal data as referred to in the GDPR, is principally minimised and restricted. Householders are, and remain, fully anonymised on InMijnBus. Only the address is processed; no other data traceable to a natural person is handled.

Implementation

Complaints

The Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements remains unchanged, and thus continues to provide a complaints procedure which, in the first instance, can be directed to the sender and/or distributor. Should the complaint fail to be resolved within 4 weeks, the matter can be taken to the Advertising Code Committee, which has the power to apply sanctions.

Moving forward, complaints can be submitted on the InMijnBus website, making it easier for householders to submit a complaint to leaflet distributor Spotta.

Environmental impact

Fewer unread leaflets in the recycling bin

Based on market research, it is expected that up to 15% of households will affix a digital sticker, as with InMijnBus, the main objections against using a physical sticker are dispelled. 15% equates to a saving of approximately 21 million kg of paper, based on 2021 distribution volumes. This statistic doesn't take into account the impact of the new temporary pause on advertising leaflet delivery options, for instance, during renovation works, during festive seasons, or the holidays.

Exact print run predictions

Via InMijnBus, advertisers and publishers know exactly how many advertising leaflets have to be printed. Currently, erring on the side of caution, up to 10% extra material may be published that ends up unread, somewhere in the waste paper chain.

Less raw material and energy wastage

The aim of InMijnBus is to minimise the number of advertising leaflets that end up unread in the recycling bin. Besides saving on paper it also saves on printing ink, energy and transport.

The importance of door-to-door marketing

Municipal information

Municipalities grasp, as no other, the impact of door-to-door marketing: letters about road closures, local activities or events, electoral rolls, etc. This 'government' communication remains outside the scope of the Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements.

Businesses

For businesses, door-to-door marketing remains crucial in the media mix, in incentivising consumers to come to their shop, use their services, order meals, or visit an event.

Consumers

70% of households wishing to receive advertising leaflets read them to stay up-to-speed on special offers (GfK commissioned by Milieu Centraal, 2020). 53% of households read leaflets in order to save money (GfK commissioned by MailDB, 2021) and 22% of households indicate the need for advertising leaflets to make ends meet financially (GfK commissioned by MailDB, 2021).

Deliverers

There are about 50,000 deliverers undertaking door-to-door delivery in The Netherlands, mostly as first jobbers but also by many OAPs to top up their pension or as a side job for labour market disadvantaged people. Deliverers receive the minimum wage or above as per the 'leaflet delivery piecework norm', a ministerial regulation for the sector. This was devised by MailDB in collaboration with the FNV Media and Culture trade union and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

Future developments

Buy locally

The InMijnBus platform gives householders more choice rather than 'all or nothing', which is the case with the current letterbox sticker. One next step could, for instance, be for householders who presently do not wish to receive advertising leaflets to show their interest in receiving leaflets from the local baker, butcher, restaurant, bookshop, upcoming events, etc.

Personalised leaflet package

In Denmark, 25% of households choose a bespoke leaflet package. This further reduces the likelihood of unread advertising leaflets ending up in recycling bins, as they will all be requested ones. In the future, with platforms such as InMijnBus, these kinds of choices will be supported on a household-by-household basis. To date, there are two businesses engaged with such a proposition in The Netherlands: Folderkiezer.nl and Kiesjefolder.nl.

Unique address identification

MailDB complies with the Municipal Population Address Data Registry: new residential addresses receive a mailing with a QR code to indicate their preferences, and addresses, where the residential designation is terminated, are removed from the system. Every residential address in The Netherlands gets a unique QR code, derived from the Municipal Population Address Data Registry. This QR code could also be used for other purposes.

Frequently asked questions

Transition
  • Household preferences
  • Changes

The publishers affiliated with the NNP [Dutch Newspaper Press] have indicated they do not back this initiative. We respect their standpoint, and without their cooperation, the Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements cannot be transitioned to online registration of all unaddressed post. Leaflet distribution company Spotta advocates InMijnBus and handles the initiative for the weekly leaflet package.

Yes, you can. Potentially, the introduction of InMijnBus in your municipality can give you good headway in attaining the From Waste to Raw Material objectives.

The current system (Code for the Distribution of Unaddressed Printed Advertisements) will remain up & running. InMijnBus will be added to make it easier for householders to (temporarily) opt in & out of Spotta leaflet package delivery preferences.

Yes, you can. Leaflet distribution company Spotta will continue to comply with the municipal by-law unless a householder indicates a different preference on InMijnBus.


No, that is not allowed. Only householders can change their own preferences.

Yes, you can. Anyone can encourage householders to opt-in & out of advertising leaflet delivery.

Yes, upon request, MailDB will provide this data; aggregated by place of residence.

Spotta will inform households about the imminent change. In municipality sequence, all households will receive a mailing through their letterbox, each with a unique QR code that can be used immediately to manage preferences.

Spotta uses the Key Addresses and Buildings Register. New addresses with residential designation receive a mailing with a QR code for indicating their preferences. By default, these addresses are set to 'off'. The preference is removed from discontinued residential addresses, or addresses whose designation has changed.

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