Trading Standards enforce and advise on legislation designed to protect the consumer from dishonest traders. This assists the vast majority of reputable companies by ensuring fair trading methods for everyone.
We carry out routine visits to traders, which takes into account the nature of the business, past problems and the number of complaints received, thereby targeting problem traders where possible.
We investigate consumer complaints, where there might be a criminal breach, which may involve visiting a trader.
In some cases we may consider it necessary to take enforcement action as a result of problems found during a routine visit or complaint in accordance with our enforcement policy. Where possible, the emphasis is placed on compliance through advice and assistance.
In many cases we find that traders are not intentionally misleading the public, but are doing so due to a lack of understanding of their legal obligations.
We are here to advise consumers and businesses. We believe that by educating and informing traders of their obligations, many of the problems businesses encounter could be avoided and traders could benefit from good business practice.
In Trading Standards we enforce numerous pieces of primary legislation, the most important ones being:
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The Trade Descriptions Act
- ensures that descriptions applied to goods or services are accurate
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The Consumer Protection Act
- covers the safety of goods and to ensure prices are not misleading
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The Consumer Credit Act
- promotes truth in lending
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The Food Safety Act
- safeguards food and drink
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The Weights and Measures Act
- ensures we all receive the correct quantity when buying goods
We have an Enforcement Policy and Procedure leaflet which is intended to give guidance for both consumers and businesses on our enforcement policy and procedures. It is intended to ensure that such action is fair and consistent.