A major retailer has bowed to public pressure and dropped controversial £50 delivery charges for Moray and Highland customers.
Halfords was widely condemned after the fee was quoted to a Speyside customer for posting two towels.
The firm has now apologised and slashed the cost to £3, after the fee was described as “shocking” by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Campaigners have pledged to stamp out excessive delivery charges to customers in the north of Scotland.
Moray MP Angus Robertson said: “This action by Halfords demonstrates how important it is to challenge companies, large and small, on their delivery policies to areas like Moray and the Highlands.
“It’s an issue that is not going away and I’m fully prepared to name and shame as many companies as it takes to sort this issue.”
The MP is appealing for other examples of firms charging over-the-odds to ensure shoppers in the north are not exploited.
Last night Highlands and Islands Enterprise called for universal courier prices to be introduced across the whole country to ensure fair trade.
A spokesman said: “Delivery charges applied to the Highlands and Islands but not other parts of the country can have a detrimental impact on trading conditions and the cost of living in the region.
“We would welcome universal changes, already practiced by some national organisations, where delivery costs the same to any part of the UK.”
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead said: “There are many other delivery options available to companies, including Royal Mail. There is simply no excuse for companies to discriminate against consumers in Scotland.”
The £50 fee was quoted by independent traders selling on the Halfords website. The firm has now pledged to cover the difference for the sellers.
Claims for refunds from customers who paid the large charge will be reviewed on a “case-by-case basis”.
A spokeswoman said: “We agree the previous charge did not make sense if a customer was ordering one item at a small cost. Having completed a review, we have reduced the costs to a standard £2.99.
“We would like to apologise for the frustration this charge has caused for our customers.”
