News / Scott welcomes ruling on delivery charges
SHETLAND MSP Tavish Scott has welcomed a decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to stop companies from making misleading claims over delivery charges.
The ASA said companies are not allowed to claim they provide free UK delivery anymore if it doesn’t apply across the country.
Island and rural communities find themselves regularly penalised by excessive delivery surcharges from online or mainland based retailers.
Scott said: “I welcome todays enforcement notice by the ASA. It is a step closer to ending the grossly unfair practice of delivery companies overcharging rural and island areas for the privilege of receiving parcels for items they have ordered in good faith.
“Often customers order goods and are not informed about the surcharges until after they have paid.
“They are then contacted and told they must pay an inflated charges to receive goods despite not being informed of this at the order stage. This is wrong and I hope today’s announcement puts an end to this.”
Highlands and Islands list MSP Maree Todd, meanwhile, has called on islanders to do their shopping locally, adding that it was good for the environment and great for the local economy – including the 7,550 workers in Shetland’s small local businesses.
“Each small business offers something unique and special, and it is important that we support them and help our local economy to thrive in a market that is increasingly dominated by the big players,” she said.
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