Committee to probe islands’ delivery charges

The Scottish Affairs Committee will hold a one-off session into delivery charges for island and remote communities who pay a premium for online purchases.

The session, on Tuesday February 27, will feature major online retailers, delivery companies and organisations that have looked into delivery charges, including Ofcom and Citizens’ Advice Scotland

It is estimated at least a million people in Scotland are subject to higher fees, longer delivery times or even refusal of service. The issue is most severe for island communities, such as Arran, and the Highlands where charges can be as high as £18.60 per delivery and delivery times three days later than other parts of the UK.

Many online businesses use private delivery firms which are not subject to the same service obligations as Royal Mail.

The session will examine how prevalent high delivery charges are in Scotland and which areas are most affected. It will investigate what information is available to consumers about charges and if additional costs reflect the real economic cost of delivering goods. Finally, it will look at what options exist for reducing or eliminating charges.

Announcing the session, chairman of the Scottish Affairs Committee Pete Wishart MP commented: ‘High charges and lengthy delivery times are yet another thing that makes it just that little bit harder for people and businesses outside the major population centres in Scotland.

‘If you are paying £15 more to get something delivered and having to wait three more days to receive it, then it makes a real difference to whether your business is competitive or not.’