By Chua Hian Hou

THE backlash from consumers against e-mail advertising has made marketers return to snail mail to sell their wares, contributing to a resurgence in traditional mail volumes in the past five years.

Statistics from the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore show mail volume has risen from 696.2 million articles posted in 2003 to 876.1 million for the 12 months to March this year.

While personal correspondence is abating, this has been offset by a 'rise in the business mail volume... periodicals, bill statements, annual reports', said a Singapore Post spokesman. Many people today still prefer hard-copy statements, brochures and other documents even when they have the option of receiving them via e-mail, she added.