At about this time every year Yellow Pages Group dumps three unsolicited volumes of telephone numbers and advertisements on the footpaths outside Auckland houses. I can't be the only one who finds it wasteful and inconvenient. This year, like the preceding few years, the ones outside our place were immediately deposited in the recycling bin.
"Every year we produce 18 regional and 22 local directories and distribute 2.7 million across the country," says Yellow Pages' website as if that's something to be proud of. It probably is when trying to get businesses to pay to be in its pages. But it's an incredibly misleading figure that doesn't take account of the growing number of people who consider it an outdated insult to have such tomes foisted upon them.
I've held a serious grudge against these books since they were delivered over the Easter weekend a few years ago. There's no surer sign that a house is vacant than directories piled up outside for the duration. Judging by the angry letters to the editor at the time, I wasn't the only person bemused by the audacity and thoughtlessness of the organisation.
On Friday I sent Yellow Pages the following message: "We no longer wish to receive the three volumes in a plastic bag that were left in an Auckland street recently. We assume these were distributed on behalf of Yellow. Could you please advise who we need to contact to cancel these unsolicited goods/unaddressed junk mail? Thank you."
I promptly received an email reply which advised that: "As a general principle, Yellow Pages Group Limited is required to deliver directories to everyone as a result of the 'Telecommunications Service Obligations Deed for Local Residential Telephone Service' between the Crown and Telecom."
