Awareness only · official claim below
What this claim is about
If you bought a new car or van in the UK between 2006 and 2015, part of what you paid covered shipping it here by sea. The claim, brought by Mark McLaren on behalf of UK buyers, followed regulators’ findings that five international shipping firms — MOL, NYK, “K” Line, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV — ran a cartel that fixed those car-carrier charges, inflating the delivery cost that was passed on to buyers.
Rather than fight it to the end, the shipping firms settled. The final settlements were approved by the Competition Appeal Tribunal in January 2026, taking the total recovered to £92.75 million for UK consumers and businesses. The firms settled without admitting liability.
This was an opt-out claim, so eligible people are included automatically and the opt-out deadline has passed. The money hasn’t been shared out yet — a distribution plan goes back to the Tribunal, and payouts are expected to begin from late 2026. Register on the official site to be told how to claim your share, and keep any purchase or finance paperwork, as you may need to show you bought an affected vehicle. You don’t need a claims company, and LegalClaimPro doesn’t collect your details here. Nothing here is legal or financial advice.
How this kind of claim works
Group claims take different forms. Here’s the shape of this one, in plain terms.
- Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT)
- A specialist court that hears large consumer claims about companies breaking competition law.
- The car-carrier cartel
- Shipping firms were found to have coordinated the prices they charged to ship new cars and vans by sea — costs that were passed on to buyers.
- Opt-out claim
- Eligible people were included automatically; the deadline to opt out has passed, so if you qualify you’re already in.
- Register to claim
- The money has been recovered but not yet shared out. Registering on the official site means you’ll be told how to claim your share when payouts begin.
Who’s covered?
- You bought or financed a new car or van in the UK at some point between 18 October 2006 and 6 September 2015 (you may also be able to claim for extra vehicles bought up to the end of 2019)
- It was a new vehicle from one of many affected brands — Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Citroën, Renault and more — and you don’t need to still own it
- It’s an opt-out claim, so eligible people are included automatically — the opt-out deadline has passed, so if you qualify you’re already in, at no cost
How it’s unfolded
- 2006–2015 The cartel period — the years when the inflated car-carrier charges were paid.
- 2020 Mark McLaren files the collective claim at the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
- 2023–2025 Three of the shipping firms settle (CSAV, then “K” Line and WWL/EUKOR).
- January 2026 The Tribunal approves the final settlements (MOL and NYK), taking the total to £92.75m.
- Late 2026 Payouts to eligible buyers expected to begin, once the Tribunal approves a distribution plan.
Common questions
Am I eligible?
If you bought or financed a new car or van in the UK between 18 October 2006 and 6 September 2015, you’re likely covered. You may also be able to claim for extra vehicles bought up to the end of 2019. You don’t need to still own the vehicle.
Do I need to do anything now?
Register on the official site to be kept updated, and keep any invoice or finance paperwork. You’ll be told how to claim your share once payouts begin.
How much will I get?
It depends on the vehicles you bought and when, and it’s worked out by the claims administrator. Nothing is finalised until the distribution is approved.
Does it cost anything?
No. It’s free to take part, and the legal costs and funding come out of the recovered sum, not from you.
Who’s running it?
The claim is brought by Mark McLaren with the law firm Scott+Scott. LegalClaimPro isn’t involved in running it — we’re raising awareness and we don’t collect your details here.
Join the official claim
This claim is run by Scott+Scott, for class representative Mark McLaren. LegalClaimPro is featuring it to raise awareness — we don’t run the claim and we don’t collect your details here. To take part, register on the official claim site, where you’ll see who’s behind it and their terms before you join.
The official site opens in a new tab. Always check who runs a claim and their terms before sharing your details.