Shetland MSP Tavish Scott has called for major retailers to stop charging extra postage or refusing to deliver parcels to the islands.
Mr Scott has welcomed the findings of Citizens’ Advice Scotland’s campaign for fair delivery, which included surveys completed by 395 Shetland residents and business owners.
A high proportion of those raised concerns about being charged extra for parcel deliveries to Shetland postcodes, or being refused delivery altogether. Some of the larger online traders, including eBay, Amazon, Argos and Tesco, were cited as “problematic retailers” following large numbers of complaints.
“People in Shetland are suffering disproportionately in the digital age,” Mr Scott said. “Those with broadband which allows for internet shopping cannot enjoy the benefits this offers because, often at the very end of a lengthy registration, browse and check-out process, they are told ‘delivery to Mainland Scotland only’.
“Many popular retailers are at the heart of this problem. This is simply unacceptable. Their state-of-the-art computer systems can surely cope with sending islanders’ orders by Royal Mail, rather than courier.”
Mr Scott added that he had contacted the SIC’s trading standards department urging them to tackle the issue.