Delivery charges clampdown welcome
AN ADVERTISING watchdog has decided to clamp down on misleading claims around parcel deliveries to remote and rural areas.
Highland consumers are often subject to additional charges to have goods delivered, though some retailers do not make surcharges clear and upfront in their advertising.
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), which is part of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regulator, has now issued an ‘enforcement notice on advertised delivery restrictions and surcharges’ – which is applicable to all advertisers across the UK with immediate effect.
It rules that adverts which ‘mislead on parcel delivery and surcharge practices’ have been banned, forcing companies to be open with consumers from the outset as to how much they will need to pay in delivery costs for goods.
According to research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), those living in the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency – which also includes Dingwall, the Black Isle and the Great Glen – pay an estimated £3.8 million more in delivery charges each year – and the figure for the entire Highlands and Islands is a whopping £33.4 million.
Lochaber MSP Kate Forbes welcomed the news last week. She said: ‘After years of frustration and anger in the Highlands and Islands at the higher delivery charges consumers pay, it’s great to see some tangible action.’
Ms Forbes praised the sustained campaign to put pressure on the UK Government and individual companies to stop charging rural consumers more or refusing to deliver at all.
‘This is particularly difficult to stomach when businesses advertise free or cheap delivery,’ she continued.
‘This intervention is very welcome and I hope it goes some way to change unfair business practices that disadvantage businesses and consumers in the Highlands and Islands.’
Lochaber-based Highland regional MSP Donald Cameron said this was a ‘big step forward’ in protecting consumers from misleading delivery advertising.
He added: ‘All too often, people who live across the Highlands and Islands attempt to buy products online in good faith that they will receive free delivery, only to find out after entering their postcode that punitive charges will be imposed.
‘I welcome this intervention by the Advertising Standards Authority, and hopefully we can continue with the wider campaign of ditching discriminatory delivery charges for good.’