National electricity company Energy Australia has followed the paperless trend with plans to enforce paper charges for customers receiving bills in the mail.

The energy company says the new charges will begin on November 1, slugging customers wanting to receive mail correspondence with a $1.75 fee per paper bill.

Energy Australia’s paper fees trail fellow energy giant Origin’s charges which were introduced in April this year. Origin stated the extra payments were enforced following a rise in printing and postage costs.

[Related: Aussie businesses follow paperless trend]

Consumer advocacy group Choice and paper lobbyist Two Sides have both condemned paper fees in the past, maintaining extra costs incurred from paper statements were ‘unjustified’.

Many other Australian businesses have followed the paperless movement this year including Telstra, Commonwealth Bank and NRMA.

Energy Australia’s fee introduction comes shortly after AGL Energy revealed it would also charge a $1.75 per paper bill, as well as a $2 fee for over-the-counter payments at Australia Post centres.

Customers do have the option to go ‘fee free’ by receiving no paper bills, and according to the energy retailer, the charges were put in place to encourage electronic account management.

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter