Guernsey Post’s RockShopper scheme has been criticised by politicians who claim it is wrong for a States owned utility to be actively promoting off-island shopping.
Deputy David de Lisle – who owns shops in St Peter Port – was first to call for an intervention to shut down the service during yesterday’s States debate.
His concerns were echoed by Deputy Simon Vermeulen, with Deputy John Gollop also questioning whether Guernsey Post should be working with not against local businesses.
The States were tasked with noting Guernsey Post’s annual accounts for the year ending March 2024, when the ‘RockShopper’ issue was raised.
The utility had posted a loss of £1.1million loss – an improvement on the £2.3m loss posted for the 12 months ending March 2023.
The RockShopper scheme was launched in October last year as an online retailer shopper directory meaning any impact on Guernsey Post’s finances won’t be reported until the accounts for the year up to March 2025 are published later this year, but Deputy de Lisle said it is already a “undermining efforts to boost the local retail industry”.
“…there is no problem with providing islanders with a UK address to facilitate delivery to Guernsey from the UK,” he said, “but (Guernsey Post) has also launched an online directory called RockShopper, which lists online retailers that can ship to Guernsey.
“The online directory lists 409 retailers, of which 98% are UK shops, each promoted on the site with imagery and direct links to their websites.
“This is actively signposting Guernsey consumers to shop in the UK, and undermines efforts made here to promote the local retail industry, and that goes against the States policy and mandate to facilitate business in Guernsey and shop locally and promote the local economy.”
Deputy de Lisle said he was sympathetic to Guernsey Post’s own needs but this shouldn’t detract from what retailers are doing.
“Guernsey retailers were not consulted and will forever negatively impacted by this service. And the States role as a shareholder of the incorporated company owned by the States as sole shareholder should be consistent in supporting local business, including the retail sector.
“Guernsey Post is undermining efforts to boost the local retail industry by actively promoting and encouraging islanders to shop online with UK retailers. The challenges of the postal landscape with increasing competition and the continued escalating cost pressures driven by the wider macro economic factors beyond the control of Guernsey Post have no doubt, added to the complexity of the operating environment, but that should not be overridden by enhancing network capabilities and parcel growth to the detriment of local retailers subject to the same challenges.
“I call on STSB to intervene, to take down Guernsey Post’s RockStopper (sic) on the website, to stop further damage to the local retail industry.”
As the retail lead on the Committee for Economic Development, Deputy Vermeulen said concerns have been raised with him about the impact of RockShopper.
“There are feelings that the post office is acting actually acting ultra vires outside of their powers in encouraging islanders to shop off island. Islanders need no such encouragement.
“We’ve got a vibrant High Street at the moment which is struggling a little bit, and we don’t need shoppers being encouraged not to support the local jobs that are provided in the High Street.”
Deputy Gollop said he could see both sides of the debate when it comes to online shopping as high costs locally mean some people must look elsewhere, while we also need to support our town.
“I’ve mixed feelings because on the one hand, they’re providing a customer service, to some of whom are amongst, probably the most financially vulnerable in our society, as I think some online buyers come into that category, because retail costs are not always cheap in Guernsey.
“I did think that it seemed odd that a States owned public entity was doing that, and perhaps, as a Douzenier against the interests of St Peter Port and elements of the retail and economic development. But then shall I resist the temptation to interfere in a commercialised entity, because the whole point of it was to give them certain freedoms away from traditional bureaucracy and or political intrusion.”
Express has approached Guernsey Post for comment.