Positive Step in Campaign on Unfair Deliver Charges
The Advertising Standards Authority and the Committees of Advertising Practice today (Thursday) announced new rules that will require companies to honour the delivery charges as they advertise them. Following this announcement, a claim of “UK delivery” will include all parts of the United Kingdom, including the Scottish Isles, and surcharges cannot be added if such a claim is made.
Scottish Conservative MP for Moray, Douglas Ross, has been campaigning for action on delivery charges, following concerns that parts of rural Scotland were facing excessive charges, despite being on the mainland UK.
Mr Ross has raised the issue with the Prime Minister, met with ministers from the Department of Business, and requested that the Scottish Affairs Committee in Parliament carry out an inquiry, which is now underway. He held the only debate so far in Westminster during this session of Parliament on the issue and highlighted that the ASA need to get tougher on companies that falsely advertise delivery charges which are then increased when Moray postcodes or others in the North of Scotland are added.
Commenting on the announcement, Douglas said: “Following action taken by Amazon this is another positive step in the campaign for fairer delivery charges.
“I’m encouraged that the Advertising Standards Authority and Committees of Advertising Practice recognise that many consumers in more rural areas of Scotland and other remote parts of the United Kingdom have been misled by these companies for far too long.
“When deliver charges are advertised as free UK delivery, it should be clear that this includes all of the United Kingdom and not just certain locations of the company’s fancy. We all know Moray is on the UK mainland, it should be equally obvious to the companies who are ripping off local people.
“The new rules will ensure delivery charges are clear and transparent for consumers and I welcome that companies will now face penalties for misleading consumers when advertising their delivery charges.
“Although this is another positive step in my campaign for fairer delivery charges, more still needs to be done to end the scandal of this postcode lottery on delivery charges.”