SNP minister calls for action as Scots fork out £44m on delivery surcharges

AN SNP minister has written to his Labour counterparts in London demanding action after figures showed Scots had forked out £44 million in delivery surcharges in 2024.

Richard Lochhead, the Scottish Government’s Business Minister, raised concerns that “like the Tories before, Labour have failed to recognise just how prevalent and significant an issue this is for many people in Moray and across the north of Scotland”.

People with postcodes across the Highlands and islands – particularly IV (Inverness), ZE (Shetland), KW (Orkney), and HS (Western Isles) – frequently face higher delivery charges than elsewhere in the UK, with some firms refusing to deliver at all.

Lochhead said that figures provided by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) revealed that in 2024 the “total additional cost to Scottish consumers impacted by parcel delivery surcharges was £44m, a rise of £200,000 compared to 2023”.

The SNP minister further shared a letter from Justin Madders, Labour’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competition and Markets, which rebuffed requests to legislate to drive down the extra costs paid by Scots.

“In accordance with consumer law, retailers must provide clear, upfront information regarding delivery costs before the point of purchase, allowing consumers to make informed choices,” Madders wrote.

“If consumers in your constituency feel that such information is not being provided in a transparent manner, I would recommend directing them to the deliverylaw.uk website, which offers guidance on their rights and how to address any issues related to unfair delivery charges.

“While the Government encourages competition within the market to maintain fair pricing, we will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that consumers are protected and informed.”

Scottish Business Minister Richard LochheadLochhead said: “It is extremely frustrating that the response from the Labour minister implies that competition in the market is the best way to ensure customers benefit but it is clear this is doing little to address the situation, with costs for deliveries to rural areas continuing to rise year on year, and that some businesses and courier companies are happy to force customers in these areas to either pay these excessive fees or go without.

“With research from SPICe highlighting that the additional cost to consumers impacted by parcel delivery surcharges continues to increase, this issue requires much greater attention from the UK Government to address the fact that Scottish consumers and businesses in the north of Scotland are forced to pay more for deliveries simply because of where they live.

“Despite the disappointing response from the UK Government, I will continue to press Labour ministers on this to ensure shoppers in Moray and the north of Scotland receive a fairer and more equitable deal on delivery charges.”