News Room

CTSI welcomes CMA car hire enforcement action

Posted: 29/03/2018

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) welcomes the news released today (29 March 2018) by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that enforcement action will be taken against car-rental websites for pricing practices that breach consumer law.

Underage sales put consumers and businesses at risk, warns CTSI

Posted: 27/03/2018

Underage sales continue to pose an issue for trading standards services as children as young as 13 are still able to buy knives in London shops, according to London Trading Standards.

Over £1 million saved from scams and fraudsters by West Yorkshire Trading Standards

Posted: 20/03/2018

Officers from West Yorkshire Trading Standards have prevented over £1 million being lost to scams and fraudsters targeting elderly and vulnerable consumers. 

Vulnerable elderly consumers to receive compensation following investigation under the proceed of crime act

Posted: 14/03/2018

Two rogue traders described by a judge as ‘an insult to cowboy builders’, recently jailed for over 4 years each, having been convicted of consumer protection offences, have now been ordered to pay back a total of £71,992.04 of their ill-gotten gains following a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The confiscated sums will be used to compensate the victims in this case.

Counterfeiter and supplier of unsafe makeup prosecuted by trading standards

Posted: 13/03/2018

Traders and individuals who decide to supply counterfeit  and unsafe goods over the internet or through local supply chains could face legal action with substantial penalties, as well as losing all the money they have made from their criminal activities, Powys County Council has warned.

Decimation of Trading Standards services leaving older people wide open to risk of fraud

Posted: 09/03/2018

Dramatic cuts in Trading Standards budgets since 2010 are leaving millions of older people at greater risk of becoming victims of fraud, according to a new policy report by Age UK

ASA research into consumer understanding of reference prices in ads

Posted: 08/03/2018

Price comparisons and savings are a familiar sight in ads, be it in online promotions for the latest gadgets, newspaper ads promoting discounts for the next grocery shop or TV ads offering savings on a range of household goods. It’s not a secret that everyone likes getting a bargain, and using “reference prices” (comparing the current price of a product to a higher price such as a previous selling price) is a great way to highlight good deals.

ASA clamps down on misleading pricing practices by secondary ticketing providers

Posted: 07/03/2018

Women should mark International Women’s Day by complaining more, says UK European Consumer Centre

Posted: 06/03/2018

Female UK consumers are being urged to complain more, as International Women’s Day approaches (8 March 2018).

Responsible knife sales vital to communities, says county trading standards leader

Posted: 05/03/2018

Responsible knife sales are vital for community safety, Staffordshire’s cabinet member for trading standards has said following a test purchase operation.

New slaughterhouse CCTV law will help safeguard animal welfare, say vets

Posted: 23/02/2018

Legislation to make CCTV cameras mandatory in slaughterhouses in England to safeguard animal welfare will be laid today (23 February) by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

Trading Standards highlight use of unfair contract terms at wedding venues in Scotland

Posted: 23/02/2018

Scottish local authority Trading Standards services have today released results from an investigation into unfair contract terms at wedding venues.