Calls to ensure that consumers in the Highlands and islands are no longer penalised by unfair delivery charges will be debated in Westminster today.
North MP Drew Hendry will urge ministers to bring in a “People’s Delivery Guarantee” when he leads a Commons debate on the subject.
Last month, the Inverness representative revealed he would table a motion calling for a new guarantee to ban outlets from advertising that their delivery charges are “free” within the UK mainland if they include exemptions for certain postcodes at the same time.
The scheme would also introduce a recognised quality mark for retailers who do not hike their fees to send goods to the region.
A Citizens Advice Scotland report last year found that one million rural Scots were still being hit with unfair delivery charges and that fees charged by retailers were rising.
Speaking in advance of today’s debate, Mr Hendry said: “People in the Highlands and islands and other rural areas are still paying excessive delivery charges and are effectively finding themselves penalised simply because of their geographic location.
“As shopping trends continue to move online, more and more families in constituencies like mine will find themselves having to fork out much higher rates to have everyday items and essentials delivered to their homes.
“One constituent was asked to pay £90 for the delivery of a mobile phone because Inverness wasn’t considered to be part of the UK mainland and another shopper was asked to pay an extra £20 to have a drill delivered to his address in Nairn.
“That is why I am calling for a ‘Peoples Delivery Guarantee’ that pulls together all the various aspects of delivery charges and guarantees and that consumers are not mislead on claims of, for example ‘free delivery to UK mainland’ only to be told during or after purchase that this isn’t true.
“Consumers, regardless of where they live should also have the right to the lowest possible delivery cost, so I am also calling for that right as standard.
“This situation has to change and that’s why I am calling on the UK government to take action.”