Starting Thursday, identity cards are required to use express delivery services, major courier company Shanghai YTO Express (Logistics) Co Ltd announced, Beijing Times reported.

YTO is the first company to implement real-name delivery service, expected to be followed by other express companies, the paper said.

The real-name registration for express deliveries was initially proposed in August last year by the Ministry of Public Security, following a number of incidents, including a man in Guangzhou who was injured by a package bomb sent from someone seeking revenge.

YTO said the newly adopted measure is mainly targeted at first-time customers and those in hotels.