Fresh calls have been made for an end to the “postcode lottery”, where Highland, Moray, Aberdeenshire and island residents are charged extra for items to be delivered.
According to new figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, residents in the north pay £41 million in additional delivery charges every year.
It comes during the festive season when gifts are being delivered to and from residents across the north-east as well as during the cost of living crisis when budgets are already stretched.
Postal charges across the Highlands and Islands are on average 21% higher than in south-west Scotland, according to data supplier Ipsos.
Some of the worst areas include Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, with an estimated £8,396,000 in additional charges, followed by Inverness and Nairn at £7,864,000.
Other areas and the estimated adiditional charges are:
- Caithness, Sutherland and Ross – £6,458,000
- Argyll and Bute – £4,563,000
- Moray – £4,089,000
- Western Isles – £2,228,000
- Banffshire and Buchan Coast – £2,196,000
- Shetland Islands – £1,865,000
- Orkney Islands – £1,499,000
- Aberdeenshire East – £586,000
- Aberdeenshire West – £586,000
‘Nonsensical delivery charges’
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead has campaigned for fairer delivery charges to the north and north-east for several years.
The campaigner has heard of more firms charging excess fees to the north, despite advertising free delivery.
He said: “The extent of the discrepancies that some Scottish households have to pay for the basic ability to shop online – an option that many rely on – are truly staggering.
“There is no rhyme nor reason to these many of these charges given some retailers deliver free or for minimal costs and others charge a small fortune.
“How much longer will Westminster allow this unacceptable postcode lottery to go on? It’s time to crack down on this unfair practice once and for all.
“It’s nonsensical that in my own constituency of Moray, there have been instances of lorries driving past households which pay huge surcharges to get to households that enjoy free delivery. That’s a farce.
“It’s not enough for UK Ministers to talk a good talk on this issue. They must take tough action to right this ridiculous wrong.”
The new Scottish Parliament figures on excess delivery charges are a reduction from the £44.8 million estimate published last year.
‘For retailers to decide’
Some companies reported by Mr Lochhead for charging extra to deliver to the Highlands include Converse, which advertise free standard delivery with purchases over £50 on the official site.
However, if customers are within a IV postcode they are they charged an additional £15 for orders at or above £50.
Beer Hawk, which supplies beer kegs for beer lovers, charge an additional £5 and can take up to two additional working days to deliver to customers in the Highlands.
Meanwhile, playground specialists PlumPlay impose a £49.95 delivery fee for deliveries up to £99 to the Highlands, Shetland and others. The delivery charge can reach up to £199.95 as the purchase price increases.
Beer Hawk, PlumPlay and Converse were all approached for comment about the charges.
A UK Government spokesman said: “Consumer protection laws require retailers to be upfront about their charges and the Royal Mail provides a universal parcel service at a standard price throughout the United Kingdom thanks to legislation the UK Government put in place in 2011.
“The Consumer Protection Partnership continues to look at delivery issues faced by those in certain regions.
“Ultimately, it is for retailers to decide on how to provide their delivery service to customers, and those facing issues should speak to retailers directly.”
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