Rocio says: You could be forgiven if you hadn’t spent much time mulling the work trading standards does and how effectively it carries it out. But consider the breadth of its remit in clamping down on unfair or even illegal business practices and you get a sense of how its work affects our everyday lives.
The protection after a scammer sells you a product advertised online that never arrives. The cowboy builder promising to lay your patio but vanishing with your money before it’s finished.
The reality is quite different. As Which? discovered, not all trading standards teams operate to the same level. When we asked all 187 trading standards services in England, Wales and Scotland, we found shocking disparities in staffing levels.
Stretched so thinly, their essential work from intercepting fake and dangerous products to rooting out misleading food claims, is nigh-on impossible.
Some reported no criminal prosecutions in the 2023-24 financial year and 38 services told us they no longer prioritise proactive work like routine inspections, potentially leaving space for unscrupulous business practices to go unnoticed.
The current situation is unsustainable. As businesses become increasingly more complex, multinational and online, the need for a reformed enforcement model first developed decades ago, is pressing.
Which? thinks ministers should commit to a root-and-branch review of the service and think about how improvements can achieve better value for money.
Underpinning this must be better intelligence-sharing and effective regulatory powers.
It will also be good for economic growth. Better enforced consumer protections aid competition because people feel safer shopping. It also helps responsible businesses selling legitimate products avoid being undercut by unscrupulous traders.
Ministers should grab the opportunity.
Rocio Concha is director of policy and advocacy at ‘Which?’ To have your questions featured on this page, email business@theipaper.com
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