Millions of British car buyers could be due compensation of up to £60 after legal action was filed against major shipping companies who have overcharged for the delivery of brand new cars.

The European Commission has imposed fines up more than £340m on a group of shipping companies, who have been accused of acting like a cartel and coordinating manipulation of shipping rates. Buyers of cars such as Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Citroen and Renault from October 2006 to September 2015 could be set to share in a £150m windfall.

The legal action is being taken by the UK’s Competition Action Tribunal, which is being represented by consumer rights chambion, Mark McLaren, formerly of Which?

“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,” McLaren said.

“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.”

The claim is being made on an opt-out basis, which means that those who are owed money won’t have to pay any of the costs for the legal action, but are automatically included unless they request otherwise.

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