The payment scheme follows a European Commission decision that found several shipping companies had fixed prices for the transport of vehicles, leading to higher delivery charges for affected buyers.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has approved the plan to distribute compensation to people and organisations that purchased or leased new cars and vans from 37 vehicle manufacturers during the relevant period. The scheme covers private motorists, businesses, and public sector organisations that may have paid inflated delivery costs.
Court-Approved Scheme Follows Vehicle Shipping Price-Fixing Case
According to the European Commission, five shipping companies (MOL, K Line, NYK, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV) were fined a combined €395 million (£340 million) in 2018 after an investigation into price-fixing in the transport of vehicles.
The compensation case relates to claims connected to those shipping arrangements. The CAT has now approved the distribution of £55.87 million to eligible consumers and businesses who were affected by the higher costs linked to vehicle deliveries.
The vehicles covered by the scheme include those purchased or leased from brands such as Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Citroën, Renault, Honda, Hyundai and Kia, along with 24 other manufacturers.
Individual payments will begin at £25 for the first eligible vehicle. People or organisations with more than one affected vehicle can receive a further £5 for vehicles two to six, followed by at least £2.50 for each additional eligible vehicle.
Former Which? consumer expert Mark McLaren encouraged eligible claimants to register for the scheme. “Signing up now is the best way to be first in line for compensation,” he said, adding that registered claimants would be contacted when the distribution process opens.
Consumers, Businesses and Public Bodies Among Those Eligible
The scheme is open not only to individual buyers but also to companies that purchased new vehicles for their own use. Eligible businesses include those operating in areas such as car rental, delivery, construction, maintenance and fleet management.
Public sector organisations and local authorities are also included, with tens of thousands of vehicles purchased or leased during the relevant period potentially covered by the compensation plan.
According to the figures provided by the claims representatives, an estimated 17.8 million vehicles in the UK were affected by the overcharge between 18 October 2006 and 6 September 2015. Around 80% of new vehicles sold in the UK are imported from overseas, meaning international vehicle transport played a significant role in the supply chain during that period.
Claimants will be able to receive their compensation through different options, including direct bank payments, Nectar points or donations to selected charities.
According to the scheme details, anyone who purchased or leased a new vehicle in the UK during the eligible dates can register through the official website at www.cardeliverycharges.com/register. The distribution of settlement funds is expected to begin later in the year. People and organisations who have already registered will be contacted when the online claim process becomes available.
