NORTH Ayrshire & Arran MP Patricia Gibson has renewed her calls on the UK Government to protect shoppers from losing out on millions of pounds of gift card cash.

The UK Gift Card and Voucher Association estimates the market to be worth around £6,000 million a year, with around £300 million going unspent.

The minimum period and policies for gift cards vary across retailer. SNP Consumers Affairs spokesperson Mrs Gibson has now written to the new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Kelly Tolhurst MP, calling for the introduction of a minimum five-year expiry period on all gift cards.

She said: “Expiry dates vary and are unclear, which leaves consumers out of pocket with unspent vouchers being clawed back as profit by retailers.”