Retailer Londis has reminded its shopkeepers to sell stamps at the legally set price after a Wisbech shop was caught selling them at 32 per cent above the fixed amount.

A mystery shopper bought a first class stamp this week from the Londis store, in Tinkers Drove, for 75p while county councillor Alan Lay made a complaint after buying a second class stamp for 70p.

The prices set by Royal Mail are 62p for a first class stamp and 53p for a second class stamp.

Cllr Lay said: “It is profiteering. I do not take this lightly.

“I consider this pricing of stamps a serious problem for the locals who do not have my choice of where to shop.”

Royal Mail has confirmed that overcharging for stamps is illegal and has passed the matter to its pricing team.

A Royal Mail spokesman confirmed that the stamps were set at a fixed price and should not be sold over and above that cost.

“The price is protected for the consumer. It is clear and fixed,” he said.

“People occasionally discount for special offer reasons but not often. It is very unusual to hear of stamp overpricing.”

A member of staff at the store said there had not been overpricing, but said they sold stamps for 67p first class and 60p for second class.

Paul Adams, head of central operations at Londis said: “We’ve checked with the retailer and he assures us that stamps are being sold at the right price and this occasion must have been an error.

“We have taken this opportunity to remind all of our independent retailers that stamps must be sold at the set price only.”