Island MSP calls for a fairer scheme on delivery charges

A report by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) found Scots were being left out of pocket to the tune of millions of pounds, with delivery surcharges to households in the Western Isles amounting to £1,632,000 on top of what they had already bought.

Across Scotland, more than £43.1 million extra is spent by online shoppers on delivery charges - a huge increase of £6.7 million in the past three years partly due to the pandemic.

The charges have created a postcode lottery for many, with rural communities often charged more than other areas.

Alasdair commented:“It is frustrating that the Western Isles continues to be one of the worse affected areas of Scotland when it comes to unfair delivery charges.

“Despite efforts from MSPs and Scottish Government initiatives like the fairdeliveries.scot website, consumers in the rural and island communities face substantial additional charges relative to the rest of the UK.

“Islanders have to rely on online shopping for items that cannot easily be obtained locally, and the charges they face can often seem arbitrary and unjustified.

“Now, more than ever, delivery charges across the UK should be fair and transparent, and people should have the information they need to make informed choices.”