Source: Car Dealer Magazine

Dealerships could be in line for a refund of up to £60 per new car that they bought, thanks to a class action against five major shipping companies.

It follows a multi-million-euro fine by the European Commission after MOL, ‘K’ Line, NYK, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV were found to have violated EU competition law by operating a cartel that led to UK motorists and businesses allegedly being overcharged £150m for new car deliveries.  The shipping firms were subsequently fined €395m (circa £344m).

The legal action relates to businesses and consumers who paid delivery costs when buying or leasing a new car or van between October 2006 and September 2015 from one of an extensive list of manufacturers including Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Citroen and Renault.

It is being brought by ex-Which? parliamentary and legal affairs manager Mark McLaren under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 on an opt-out basis and via the Competition Appeal Tribunal.  Those affected by the cartel could receive up to £60 per car, said McLaren.  The action is being independently funded, meaning anyone eligible will receive compensation without having to pay a fee.

McLaren, who sits on the consumer panel of the Legal Services Board, said: ‘When UK consumers and businesses purchased or leased a new car, they paid more for the delivery of that car than they should have done, as a result of a long-running cartel by five of the world’s leading maritime shipping companies.  I have spent much of my career working in consumer protection and I strongly believe that compensation should be paid when consumers are harmed by such deliberate, unlawful conduct.’

Those wanting more information or to register an interest should go to cardeliverycharges.com.

Original Article: https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/class-action-mean-refund-60-per-new-car/187053