Moray SNP News

WIN FOR FAIR DELIVERY CHARGES CAMPAIGN

ACTION FROM MORAY MSP PROMPTS CRACKDOWN BY REGULATOR
 
Richard Lochhead MSP has today secured a huge win for his Fair Delivery Charges campaign, after the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) issued an Enforcement Notice on Advertised Delivery Restrictions and Surcharges.
 
The Moray MSP wrote to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in January with a dossier of 124 firms who had failed to be upfront on charges for delivery to parts of Scotland – especially in northern and rural areas. In many cases “free UK delivery” was advertised with an additional surcharge added at a late stage in the online order process. Richard Lochhead’s campaign has unearthed widespread examples of homes in mainland Scotland, even in built up areas, being categorised as “offshore” for delivery purposes and incurring substantial unexpected costs.
 
The Enforcement Notice issued today by the CAP demands “prompt action” from those companies which appear to be misleading customers – with the threat of enforcement action, including legal measures, if firms fail to comply by the 31 May deadline.
 
Guy Parker, Chief Executive of the ASA, confirmed to Mr Lochhead that all companies mentioned in his dossier will be issued with the Enforcement Notice. The MSP has welcomed to the prompt action from the watchdog and described it as “significant first step” in the crackdown on unfair delivery charges.
 
Commenting, Richard Lochhead MSP said:
 
“This is a significant first step in the fight against unfair delivery charges, and I welcome prompt action being taken by the regulator.  
 
“I’m sure that people living across Scotland will be pleased to see companies taken to task – and told to stop advertising free delivery when in many cases, for many customers, the reality is very different.
 
“It’s now incumbent upon those companies who are failing to be upfront with consumers to sit up, take notice and change their practices. I hope they respond swiftly to this very clear shot across their bows.
 
“There is, of course, much more to be done – and I continue to be inundated with dozens of cases where online retailers are failing to be upfront over delivery charges. It’s beyond belief that some firms don’t classify mainland Scotland as ‘mainland UK’.
 
“Ultimately, if companies truly value their customers in rural and northern Scotland then they shouldn’t be discriminating at all when it comes to delivering goods.
 
“Free delivery should mean free delivery – that should apply to folk in Moray as much as it does to customers in Surrey. Anything else is completely unfair.”

Further detail on campaign available at Fair Delivery Charges website - https://fairdeliverycharges.scot/