Britain's Royal Mail posted an annual adjusted operating loss of 419 million pounds ($528.82 million), below market expectations, its parent International Distributions Services said on Thursday, after a year marred by postal strikes over pay.

IDS, which includes Royal Mail UK and international operations GLS, reported a group adjusted operating loss of 71 million pounds for the year ended March 26, compared with a profit of 758 million pounds a year earlier.

Analysts on average had expected a loss of 114 million pounds, according to a company-compiled consensus. ($1 = 0.7923 pounds) (Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)