Businesses urged to set fair delivery prices for rural districts 21/8/14
Customers in the Highlands and Islands should not be faced with disproportionate and unfairly high delivery costs when they are buying online, Enterprise Minister Fergus Ewing has said.
Mr Ewing urged businesses to sign up to the Statement of Principles for Parcel Deliveries, which sets out guidelines for ensuring people in rural areas are not left paying higher fees.
The statement was developed by the Parcel Delivery Working Group last year, established by Consumer Futures and the Scottish Government.
The guidelines, agreed by industry, government, trading standards and consumer groups – call on businesses to avoid charging disproportionate delivery costs, provide greater transparency and provide the widest possible delivery coverage.
Fergus Ewing said: “At this time of year shoppers are already starting to think about ordering online and getting in early with Christmas shopping.
“Unfortunately we’re still finding that many customers in Scotland’s Highlands and Islands are faced with disproportionate costs when it comes to the delivery of their online purchases.
“It’s not fair that people in island communities or the Highlands are being charged an excessive amount when they are ordering the same items as people in other parts of the UK.
“But it’s not just customers who are affected by postcode penalties, businesses in rural areas are also hit hard by delivery surcharges.
“Retailers should take on board our Statement of Principles, and in turn customers, particularly in the Highlands and Islands, will receive a better service. I welcome the recent announcement that the Statement has now been adopted across the UK. By abiding by the guidelines, online retailers can show respect for customers in all parts of the UK.”