Moray SNP News

UK GOVERNMENT AGREE TO MEET MORAY MSP TO DISCUSS RIP OFF PARCEL DELIVERY SURCHARGES CAMPAIGN

The UK Government’s Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility Kelly Tolhurst MP has agreed to meet with Moray’s SNP MSP Richard Lochhead to discuss his campaign to end rip off parcel delivery surcharges.
 
Mr Lochhead has secured cross party support for the campaign he launched over a year ago to tackle online retailers that apply excessive delivery surcharges that costs shoppers across Scotland an extra £36m a year.  
 
As part of his campaign, Richard Lochhead has called on the UK Government to introduce legislation that would see the industry regulated given the massive number of online companies who apply delivery surcharges for customers across rural Scotland.  

Mr Lochhead has tried to secure this meeting for over a year, given that regulation of both consumer protection and parcel deliveries lies with the UK Government. 
 
Welcoming the agreement to meet, Mr Lochhead said:
 
“The cases brought to me by my constituents in Moray led to what became a national campaign to tackle those on-line retailers that apply rip off parcel delivery surcharges - costing our rural communities across Scotland an extra £36 million a year. 
 
“I have also referred over two hundred on-line companies to the authorities that have misled customers by promising free UK mainland delivery only to surcharge Scottish customers. 
 
“The campaign now has cross party support and we need both the Scottish and UK Governments to act to stop companies adding whopping surcharges for deliveries to households in the north of Scotland.   
“I am pleased the UK Minister has agreed to meet me in London next month to discuss the campaign as I strongly believe that there needs to be a look at the current regulatory framework, given that far too many on-line retailers still feel they can get away with fleecing Scottish customers. The UK Government has responsibility for regulating this area so I look forward to a constructive and helpful meeting.”