Menzies Distribution reports that 1200 people have set up accounts and it has had more than 100 paid orders delivered to the Highlands and Islands during the first month of its Highland Parcels service.

The Scottish Government has welcomed Menzies Distribution’s new approach to the less accessible areas of Scotland. Scotland’s Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, Jamie Hepburn, who visited the organisation’s Inverness depot last month, commended the new service.

Hepburn visited the company on 26 November to highlight its position as the only logistics provider to provide flat-fee parcel deliveries with no postcode penalty. The 26th was proclaimed Scotland’s first ever Fair Delivery Day.

The new Highlands Parcels service allows residents in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland to send parcels for a single flat-fee of £4.99, ending the postcode penalty that has seen residents penalised with disproportionately high delivery charges.

By registering with Highland Parcels, users get a virtual address at Menzies Distribution’s Central Belt depot, with the firm notifying recipients by email when their parcel has arrived and then arranging final delivery to their personal address or their local depot for a flat-fee.

Fraser MacLean, Menzies Distribution General Manager of Parcel Logistics, stated: “Highland Parcels has had an incredibly successful start and we are delighted that our customers and campaigners for fair postal charges have backed our initiative so enthusiastically.

“We are thrilled that Highland Parcels has been recognised by the Scottish Government as a leading solution to an incredibly unfair situation in the Highlands. Our service is simple for people to use and consumers and businesses are voting with their feet.”

Business Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “It’s great to see national companies like Menzies working to solve delivery issues in the Highlands where there is a thriving community and a strong local economy. This is something which our new action plan is working towards solving and we are pleased to see independent companies such as Menzies with this high on their agenda already.”

We understand that Menzies Distribution plans to roll out the service to other parts of the UK beyond Scotland that are also considered ‘hard to reach’ and may be subject to delivery surcharges, with Northern Ireland believed to be a potential candidate.