Does Royal Mail re-use tracking numbers?

[HotTomatoast]

I'm returning an item I purchased online. I used the shops pre-paid returns label and received a post office receipt with Royal Mail tracking number when I posted it.

I need to provide the tracking number in a returns portal for my refund, but it's saying the tracking number is incorrect and not valid. When I go to the Royal Mail website to track the package at first it does not accept the number on my receipt. But if I submit it again it brings up the tracking history, except in addition to the date and journey for my package I posted, it's displaying a bunch of other 'journeys' I'm assuming have been associated with the same tracking number through to 10 Jan 2024.

Does this seem a bit strange?

I've never heard of this and I send a lot of parcels for ebay and vinted. This is odd.

Have you contacted the place you bought the item from?

It looks more like the online shop are reusing the same label to try and save some money on return postage!

Oh interesting! It's a major U.K. high street brand. This seems a bit cheeky and would surprise me if it were true. They've been praised recently for their product quality and customer service.

Not yet, the tracking number hadn't worked until today. I was going to give it to the end of the day and follow up with the tracking number before I flagged with them. The delivery post code on the receipt is correct, which reassures me a bit that it's going to the right place.

I've seen this at the retailer I work for, think it's Royal Mail and not the retailer at fault, they are a law unto themselves 🤷‍♀️

I think there tracking website is playing up. I sent two parcels on Monday and it's not worked then worked with strange information. At one point it told me one of them was at MY local office and about to be delivered.