The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is serving an enforcement notice on a UK company after a Moray resident was charged five times the normal delivery cost for a parcel.    

Action was taken by the watchdog after Moray MP Douglas Ross raised the issue on behalf of a constituent as part of an ongoing campaign against “rip-off” delivery fees.   

An order of £155 worth of specialist insultation equipment was placed with St Helens-based Advanced Insulation Manufacturing.   

The advertised delivery cost was £9.95, but once the customer put in his Moray postcode, he was told there would be a £40 surcharge.   

The total delivery cost was £49.95 – more than five times the original cost.   

To make matters worse, the order arrived in a broken box.   

The ASA responded within 24 hours to a inquiry from Mr Ross and said that enforcement action would be taken.   

Scottish Conservative MP for Moray Douglas Ross said:   

“This is yet another example of the rip-off delivery charges that are affecting people all over Moray.   

“In this case, I am pleased to say that enforcement action will be taken.   

“I very much appreciate the speed of the response – within 24 hours of the inquiry being made an enforcement notice was issued.   

“I hope this will provide some reassurance to people affected by these rip-off charges that there are consequences for companies that indulge in this practice.   

“I have been campaigning for a long time on this issue, and there is a lot more to be done.   

“I will continue to raise cases with the ASA so that companies get the message this is not acceptable behaviour.”