Online shops banned from showing misleading delivery charges

Online retailers will no longer be able to claim free delivery throughout the UK if they charge remote areas more, under new rules.

Customers in areas such as the Scottish Highlands and islands, Northern Ireland, Anglesey, and the Isle of Man have often complained about websites hiding the extra fees they charge for delivery.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) have issued an Enforcement Notice that forces retailers to abide by tougher regulations.

CAP Director Shahriar Coupal said the action “makes very clear that advertisers must not mislead consumers by promising ‘free’ or ‘UK’ delivery when it turns out that delivery is not free or the item won’t be delivered if you live in certain parts of the UK”.

Companies caught breaking the rules after 31 May could be subject to legal action, including referral to Trading Standards.

It follows pressure from MPS, who in March asked Amazon and ebay how they planned to stop sellers misleading customers with hidden delivery fees. Amazon urged ripped-off customers to get in touch (via www.snipca.com/27126), while ebay said it encourages free delivery by reducing the listing fees of sellers offering it.

Richard Lochhead, the SNP MSP for Moray in the north of Scotland, praised the move as “a significant first step”. Last November, he launched the Fair Delivery Charges campaign ( https:// fair delivery charges. scot) to protest against a “delivery tax”. The Moray MSP provided information to the ASA earlier this year, revealing which firms were not upfront about additional fees.