The area with the highest percentage of sales of age-restricted goods was the Isle of Wight, where a 13-year-old girl managed to buy cigarettes at 21 out of 28 premises visited.
Kevin Law, Isle of Wight Area Trading Standards Officer, said: 'We were very surprised by the results because we believed the shopkeepers in the area were very responsible. 'Most of them do more than is required in the way of displaying notices and prompts on tills for staff to ask the age of young people. 'The traders themselves have been shaken by this survey because, despite their precautions, staff obviously still sold to a 13-year-old girl. We have given them oral and written warnings - our advice is even if someone looks 16 or 17 ask them to prove they are.'
Wolverhampton Trading Standards, in the West Midlands, used two 13-year-old boys in their survey and found retailers sold to them in six out of 10 cases - the highest for any borough outside London. Peter Calvert, Divisional Manager for Wolverhampton Trading Standards, said: 'We were quite surprised by the level of sales as it runs against the trend in other surveys we have carried out in the last two years.'
A total of 59 Trading Standards authorities in England and Wales took part in the survey, visiting 2,388 premises. The young volunteers were able to buy age-restricted goods in 412 premises. They were asked for their age in 725 outlets and for further proof of age in 402 cases.

See the ITSA site at tradingstandards.gov.uk for more details and the full press release.

AGE-RESTRICTED GOODS SURVEY ENGLAND & WALES SUMMARY

				Visits 	Purchase Made
English Counties 		1000 		181
English Districts 		867 		137
London Boroughs 		261 		44
All English 		2128 		362
Wales 			260 		50
All English and Welsh 	2388 		412

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Mortgage Brokers survey shock!

The survey findings will make for disturbing reading for consumers. The considerable efforts that have gone into developing the Code and promoting compliance are not being reflected out on the high street. In far too many cases, the survey found little or no information about mortgage products and the services offered by brokers, giving the public bad advice and putting their finances at risk.
The Mortgage Code defines a number of minimum requirements for mortgage lenders and brokers. These are intended to ensure that consumers receive adequate and appropriate information. In practice, however, the experience of local authority ‘mystery shoppers’ is that brokers are either unfamiliar with the Code requirements or unconcerned with meeting them. For example the survey found that:

• 29% of brokers did not even tell consumers about the Mortgage Code;
• 33% of brokers gave no description of the service they provide;
• 35% of brokers did not say on whose behalf they were acting;
• 40% of brokers were considered to have offered inadequate advice or information;
• 70% of brokers did not tell consumers of their data access rights;
• 28% of brokers did not give any written information about their service; and
• 67% of brokers failed to display an Mortgage Code Arbitration Scheme notice.

Concern about the mortgage sales process, particularly the scope for mis-selling, is at an all time high. The factors fuelling this disquiet are many, but include:

• the creation of a new control framework for the financial survey industry;
• widely reported evidence of mis-selling across a range of investment products;
• the resurgence in the housing market; and
• evidence of actual or perceived consumer detriment in relation to mortgage sales.

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New Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations

The regulations re-enact most of the 1994 Regulations with modifications to reflect more closely the wording of the EC Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts (O.J. No. L95, 21.4.93, p. 29). One of the most significant extensions is the ability of bodies other than the Office of Fair Trading to seek injunctions (in Scotland interdict) to prevent the continued use of potentially unfair contract terms in consumer contracts.
One of the great problems of the original regulations was that the resources of the OFT were so stretched in this area that no traders were ever taken to court, and some were not pursued, even if they failed to change their terms - or ignored the Office completely!
Devolving powers to local authority trading standards services will have a greater impact as action can be taken locally and much more swiftly.

The Regulations apply, with certain exceptions, to unfair terms in contracts concluded between a consumer and a seller or supplier (regulation 4). They provide that an unfair term is one which has not been individually negotiated and which, contrary to the requirement of good faith, causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights and obligations under the contract to the detriment of the consumer. Schedule 2 contains an indicative list of terms which may be regarded as unfair.
Importantly unfair contract terms are not binding on the consumer (regulation 8).

The Regulations do maintain the obligation on the Director General of Fair Trading to consider any complaint made to him about the fairness of any contract term drawn up for general use, but the other qualifying bodies named in Schedule 1 (statutory regulators, trading standards departments and Consumers' Association) may also apply for an injunction to prevent the continued use of an unfair contract term provided it has notified the Director General of its intention at least 14 days before the application is made.

The Regulations also provide a new power for the Director General and the public qualifying bodies to require traders to produce copies of their standard contracts, and give information about their use, in order to facilitate investigation of complaints and ensure compliance with undertakings or court orders.

If you have any doubts about any terms in contracts you have for goods or services, give your local trading standards service a call!

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Consumer Affairs White paper

1. to promote open and competitive markets
2. to provide people with the skills, knowledge and information they need to become demanding consumers
3. to encourage responsible businesses to follow good practice
4. to avoid burdening those businesses with unnecessary regulation
5. to protect the public from serious trading malpractice and unsafe products.

The Government is also launching an annual study to investigate price differentials between the UK and the US, France and Germany. That is a proposed 'shopping basket' of 100 items. Competition authorities will then take action if any discrepancies are caused by anti-competitive behaviour.
To make informed choices, consumers need reliable information on price, quality and the safety of products.

To that end steps will be taken to ensure:
• better information on prices
• truthful advertising and claims
• the provision timely information
• the building of knowledge and skills
• customer service is promoted
• effective codes of practice
• good practice
• more help ia available for business

The Government has recognised what TSOs have known for decades - existing law fails to deter the small number of rogue traders who continually disregard legislation aimed at protecting consumers. The Government now wants a much clearer targeting of the dishonest.

It plans:
• a power for the courts to grant injunctions against specific practices carried out by specified traders
• a power for the courts to ban from trading for a period of time those traders with a history of disregarding their legal obligations
• a power for the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to make orders by secondary legislation specifying that certain practices which have been shown to be harmful should be made illegal.
• that the power to seek injunctions and banning orders will be made available to local authorities as well as the OFT.
• a modern trading standards service in local government, strengthened to meet the expectations of consumers and business, including money for more and better training to provide more officers to enforce consumer protection law and ensure a high quality service across the country
• to widening the enforcement base by giving more bodies the right to take action against unfair contract terms and to seek injunctions against traders who breach the law in nine key areas.

At last the document we have been waiting for to provide the protection consumers need, and plug the gaps and loop holes of existing regulation....or is it?

It remains to be seem if all the threads of the proposals will be implemented or if it is well intentioned waffle, but there are a lot of good proposals which will be universally welcomed:

• extension of Fair Trading controls to trading standards from the OFT. The OFT has long had extensive powers in these areas, but its remoteness and resource difficulties has meant frustration for consumers and TSOs when action has not been as swift as it could have been. These powers should really bite on cowboy traders.
• review of Trade Descriptions legislation to cover services to the same extent as goods. A long standing anomaly!
• extension of controls over homeworking schemes and trading schemes legislation.
• improved focus on counterfeit goods and car clocking enforcement.
• new proposals on the froth on beer question which has been around for ever! - it remains to be seen what can be done about this and in fact this is a small item which has already been jumped on by news reporters in an unhelpful way.
• emphasis on consumer advice, however it does appear that trading standards authorities are sidelined somewhat with more emphasis on advice provision by CABx and other 'advice networks'. This does not recognise the good work that many authorities do in this area and many were hoping that consumer advice would be made a statutory requirement for authorities.
• additional funding for TSO training is welcome as the service is around 500 officers short across the country, but many services are woefully underfunded at the local level and there needs to be more recognition of this.
• recognition of consumer difficulties in many different areas, such as electronic commerce, financial services etc.
• setting up of a new consumer gateway internet site. To be honest this should have been set up years ago, and on first sight appears not to be an amalgam of different agencies as is the excellent US consumer gateway www.consumer.gov but simply a site containing much of the pre-existing DTI information. We will have to wait and see what happens here. If it gets really good it might even take the place of Trading Standards Net *g*
• a widening of the 'enforcement base' - it is not completely clear what this will involve, but if for instance, locally unaccountable, organisations such as the Consumers Association are given powers then there may be some confusion in the minds of consumers and businesses as to who the enforcement authorities really are. Enforcement should be retained by a strengthened, locally accountable trading standards service which serves the needs of its local citizens and business.
• it is also not clear how devolution of Scotland and Wales will affect some of the proposals - the scots legal system for example differs greatly from the english one and proposals on injunctions for example may have to be further discussed north of the border.

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Counterfeiting update

A joint operation between St Helens Trading Standards and HM Customs closed down a clothing scam in the North East recently - a large consignment of fake clothing imported from Portugal raised the suspicions of Customs Officers.

Two midlands traders have been jailed for selling fake goods - one for nine months on eight offences under the Trade Marks Act for selling fake Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Armani clothing - and the other for one month after Trading Standards Officers seized over 500 items of fake clothing from a market in Warwickshire.

A joint operation between Police and Trading Standards Officers in Swindon led to a counterfeit clothes seller being jailed for nine months after a raid on his house netted nearly 100 fake items.

It is estimated that Formula One stars like Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher have lost up to 100 million pounds in a swindle involving poor quality fake sports wear and F1 memorabilia. A team of private detectives are on the case!

For more information on anti counterfeiting work try the Anti-Counterfeiting Group website.

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End to unwanted junk faxes?

The Regulations give effect to the direct marketing provisions of the Telecoms Data Protection Directive (97/66/EC) which requires EC Member States to put in place a scheme to ensure that individuals who do not wish to receive unsolicited direct marketing calls do not continue to receive such calls. The Regulations also make provision for protection against unsolicited direct marketing by fax. In the case of individual subscribers, unsolicited direct marketing faxes are not permitted unless the recipient has expressly consented. Corporate subscribers may choose to opt-out of receiving such faxes with the scheme (as may individuals if they want the additional safeguard).
"Individual" for the purpose of these Regulations refers to private individuals and sole traders throughout the UK, and partnerships in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The regulations:

• provide a ban on sending unwanted "junk" faxes to individuals;
• enable people to opt-out of receiving unwanted direct marketing phone-calls by registering, free of charge, their name with a centralised list;
• enable companies to sign up to a similar scheme to avoid receiving "junk" faxes;
• require marketers to offer a contact address or freephone number so that people can contact them to ask to be removed from their databases.

Welcoming the regulations, a Department of Trade and Industry spokesman said:

"Being disturbed at home by an unwanted phone call from someone trying to sell you a product you don’t want is for many an irritating invasion of privacy.
"Its even more frustrating for people who have a fax at home who receive unwanted junk faxes that not only use up their fax paper, but can also disturb them at night.
"Small companies in particular, are frustrated by this. Having their fax machines clogged by unwanted advertising and "joke" faxes not only costs money, but important business correspondence can be delayed as a result.
"Thankfully, most businesses are committed to responsible direct marketing practices; these Regulations will ensure greater protection for individuals and businesses against those few unscrupulous operators who do sadly exist".

People wishing to register with the opt-out schemes from 4 May should call:
0845 070 0707 for telephone preference registration; and
0845 070 0702 for fax preference registration
Direct marketing businesses should call 01932 414161 for an information pack.
The Regulations will be enforced by the Data Protection Registrar.

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EC Consumer Complaint Form

The form is designed to improve communication between consumers and businesses, with a view to helping them reach amicable solutions to problems which they may encounter in their various transactions.

It can be used for disputes within national frontiers or those extending to the rest of the European Union. The form has been designed to "guide" and orient consumers in formulating their claims and contains multiple-choice lists of responses to help consumers indicate their problems and their claims, together with sufficient space for users to give additional details or describe particular circumstances not covered by the multiple-choice lists.
The multiple-choice design, and the fact that the form is available in all 11 languages of the European Union, should facilitate the problem of translation in cases of cross-border disputes where the parties speak different languages.

At the moment this is the start of a pilot project, supported in the UK by the DTI in order to assess the form’s relevance and effectiveness. Depending on the results, the Commission will then make any changes deemed necessary.
The European complaint form is in no way designed to replace the first stage of dialogue between consumer and trader. It should be used only if this initial contact fails to produce a satisfactory result, and can then take the place of the letter of complaint that consumers would normally have drafted.

The EC consumer complaint form could be a useful tool, helping to resolve consumer disputes, and if widely adopted making it much easier for consumers to act for themselves. However at the moment there are many barriers to its success, most importantly traders will be unaware of it and most small traders may be unwilling to accept it. If it is so easy to use consumers may abuse the process, using the form to make frivolous complaints and bringing the whole idea into disrepute. Crossborder complaints, although few, will also be a problem - although the form is available in many languages someone will still have to translate the actual complaint into another language which could prove difficult. But lets see what happens...many local authorities and consumer agencies across the EU will undoubtably support the use of the form in the trial period.

For more details on this project see the EC site at: http://europa.eu.int

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Utility regulation review

Key proposals include:

• the regulatory framework should be able to address structural changes in the utility markets, for instance multi-utilities
• Offer and Ofgas should merge
• consumer protection should be the regulators primary duty
• independent consumer councils should promote the consumer interest
• the formula RPI-X (retail price index minus X) should be retained as the fundamental system of price regulation
• regulators should however consider appropriate cases where it might be appropriate to refine this formula to reflect the Green Paper principles on price regulation
• a clearer link should be made between the prices utilities can charge and the customer service standards they achieve
• full information should be available on company performance on customer service standards and on the links between this performance and the pay of directors
• ministers should issue statutory guidance on social and environmental objectives
• the energy and telecommunications regulators should be replaced by executive boards

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UK car prices too high

The biggest discrepancies were found in the case of the Ford Mondeo which is cheapest in Spain and is a staggering 58.5 percent dearer in the UK.
Ironically the whole Rover range is most expensive in the UK!

However some manufacturers have reduced their UK prices, for example the Peugeot 106 by 7 percent and the Renault Megane by 16 percent.
There was much less price divergence between other European countries, for example between France and Spain the differences averaged less than 10 percent.

Further information on the European Commission survey and other related matters can be found on the EU website.

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RRPs outlawed

These goods are:

• camcorders
• cold food storage equipment
• dishwashers
• hifi systems
• televisions
• tumble driers
• video cassette recorders
• washing machines

1. To notify to dealers prices recommended or suggested as appropriate to be charged by those dealers
2. To make an agreement to restrict a dealers determination of the prices at which he advertises or sells specified goods
3. Except where allowed, to withold supplies of any specified goods from any dealer
4. To discriminate between one dealer and another in the prices he charges them on the grounds that the dealer is likely to advertise or sell goods cheaper than the other
5. To give any preference to any dealer on the ground of the prices at which the dealer has advertised or sold any specified goods
6. Tp procure a supplier to contravene the provisions described in 1 to 5 above

Although the Order does not directly refer to the use of rrps by retailers, they should disappear as the only person legally able to make a recommended price is the supplier.
Although currently untested, it is likely that the existing provisions of section 20 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, combined with the DTI code of Practice on Price Indications, will make the use of rrps (for specified goods) illegal.

The provisions of The Control of Misleading Advertisments Regulations 1988 could also be used, however these are enforced by the Director General of Fair Trading rather than Trading Standards Officers, and may prove less effective.

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Shoppers getting bad deal says OFT

Complaints about goods and services have risen by a quarter over the past five years.
Last year Trading Standards officers, who compile the majority of the figures, received 851,456 complaints, 25,000 more than in the preceding 12 months.
Unsurprisingly secondhand cars topped the list with more than 90,000 complaints with defective electrical goods coming a close second. The newly deregulated gas industry is the fastest growing problem area with complaints up a third on last year.

John Bridgeman, Director General of Fair Trading said that voluntary codes of practice had failed to stem the tide of complaints.

To find out more about the OFT visit their website at www.oft.gov.uk

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Premium phone line scam

In fact anyone wishing to check on their prize must call a premium rate number costing £1 per minute with the call lasting for 9 minutes...thats £9 a call!!!
What you are most likely to have 'won' is a cheap wristwatch, or a mobile phone - for which you must take out an airtime contract costing over £200

Although the flyers appear to be perfectly legal consumers are advised to chuck them in the bin and buy nine lottery tickets instead....you've probably got a better chance of getting something!!!

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Top 10 Christmas Tips

To help shoppers avoid the nasties we have compiled a list of our Top Ten Christmas Tips, it's pretty similar to last year - but the points are still worth making.
If you are ripped off over the festive period, or have any other consumer related complaint please contact your local authority Trading Standards Department.

1. Counterfeits:
   Big stores are sold out of the latest toy or computer game - so how lucky that you can pick one up in the local Christmas market or boot sale!... Chances are though that it is a shoddily made or even dangerous fake....don't disappoint your kids, buy the real thing.
2. Keep your receipt
   You might like that pair of 70s style flares, but the recipient of the present might not!!...having a receipt will make it much easier to take the gift back after Christmas - faulty or not!
3. Pirated software
   Counterfeiters find it easy to make a killing at Christmas selling pirated software, or videos, or dodgy computers done up and sold as new....if it works at all you are lucky, if not it will wreck your machine! Buy the proper licensed software - you will at least get some support from the company if you can't figger out how to make it work!
4. Keep you head at the party
   Make sure you count your change when the party's in full swing after the office night out....thankfully enough people do check to bring a procession of dishonest publicans to book for shortchanging customers when they are a little 'under the weather'. Check your change before it's too late!!
5. Toys
   Be very careful that the toys you buy your child are safe...heads that come off revealing sharp spikes, lead based paint, small parts a toddler can swallow, bikes that break at the welds...can all cause Xmas danger as well as disappointment. Also be prepared - check that they work before you wrap them up, and make sure you have the correct batteries!!
   Also always check for the CE mark and any warnings on the packaging as to suitability etc.
6. Buying on the Net
   By all means scan the Internet for bargains, but make sure the vendor is bona fide, always use a secure service for passing credit card details, and allow plenty of time for delivery....watch out especially if you are buying in an internet auction situation.
   Buying on the Web should be as easy as on the phone, but it will be more difficult if things go wrong - especially if the seller is in Australia!!
   Also don't forget that you may be liable to pay VAT and duty when importing goods from abroad - this can add around 25% to the cost.
7. Homeworking Scams
   A favourite scam to rip off the unsuspecting parent trying to make a few extra bucks over Christmas is the Homeworking scheme- often addressing envelopes, making mobile phone covers or the like. More often then not they turn out to be some simple pyramid scam which sees your money disappear into someone elses pocket - always take advice from your local Trading Standards before paying any money into these schemes, they are regulated.
8. Loan sharks
   Hard up parents, desperate to give their kids a Christmas to remember are al fair game for these bullies..interest rates of a thousand percent are not uncommon...given the evidence Trading Standards Officers can put these people where belong over Christmas....behind bars
9. Never never shopping
   For people with limited means, the idea of paying for things by instalments seems a good idea, and worth the slight premium price.
   But make sure you can afford to repay the debts or a happy Christmas could become a miserable New Year.
10. Electric Shockers
    Electrically unsafe Xmas tree lights can give a nasty shock or set fire to your home, tree ornaments may break and harm a child, or be swallowed or contain toxic chemicals....be careful when decorating this Christmas - make sure lights are double insulated - if in doubt get a new set - they'll cost less than a redecoration job!

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National Consumer Week 1998

On the theme of firework safety - Consumer Affairs Minister Dr Kim Howells last week launched the final phase of the DTIs year's firework safety campaign.

Sparklers - which burn at up to 2,000 C and caused more injuries than any other firework last year - have been targeted in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) campaign which is being supported by Trading Standards Officers across the UK.

Dr Kim Howells said:
'No responsible parent would let a young child near a hot chip-pan, a lit barbecue or a boiling kettle - yet thousands give their children sparklers to use unsupervised.
With millions of children enjoying half-term this week, and with the knowledge that 75 per cent of all firework injuries happen on 5 November and the two surrounding weekends, I am appealing to parents to play their part and help keep all our children safe this Bonfire Night.'

While firework injuries overall have dropped in recent years, injuries from sparklers have been on the increase. Last year sparklers caused nearly a quarter of all firework injuries, accounting for 200 casualties - about 25 per cent being children aged five or under.

In addition, local council trading standards officers will also be helping to enforce firework regulations which, for the first time this year, include a total ban on the sale of all bangers, mini-rockets and aerial shells to the general public. The minimum age of sale of fireworks, including sparklers, is now 18 and retailers are no longer able to split retail packs of fireworks.

Update

The results of a nationwide survey into the storage and sale of fireworks backs the Institute of Trading Standards Administration's demand to hit rogue traders through a formal licensing system.

In the past fortnight, Trading Standards departments across the UK have swooped on retailers selling fireworks and what they found "shocked and appalled seasoned professionals", said ITSA Chairman Eric Robinson.

Amongst the horror stories, he listed fireworks piled in cardboard boxes around a shop and stored with matches and lighter fuel; displays of bangers and mini-rockets that are banned by law, illegally imported fireworks that are positively lethal - and routine sales to children, without any attempt to find out whether they are under age.

"In one case a retailer was happy to sell an 'air-bomb' to a twelve year old who in no way could be taken for 18 - which is the legal minimum age for purchase"

For more on this ITSA press story - see TS Central the site maintained by the Institute of Trading Standards Administration

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New rules for electricity sales

1. suppliers must set up appropriate procedures for selecting and training their own and agents' sales staff
2. suppliers cannot link up with agents who request payment in advance from customers for arranging a supply of electricity
3. suppliers must pay compensation to customers who are the victims of marketing malpractice
4. where a contract has been entered into on the doorstep or over the telephone, suppliers must check within 14 days that the customer is satisfied, or the contract can be cancelled
5. where a sale takes place two months or more before a customer is due to change supplier, the company must keep the customer informed or progress
6. suppliers must keep a record of marketing complaints and submit it to OFFER quarterly.

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Consumer Protection 'A matter of luck'

Paul Galland, current Chairman of the Institute of Trading Standards Administration (ITSA), was reporting on the 'scaling down' of his service that has taken place due to lack of investment in consumer protection and a badly managed local government re-organisation. A shake-up that increased the number of councils and fragmented still further the limited funds and the trained people who are trying to enforce a growing body of legislation, designed to protect the health and the pocket of the public.

Opening the Institute's annual conference in London, Galland called upon central and local government to find new ways of working to stem the tide of consumer complaints currently rising by around 7.5 % a year, and restore the balance in a market place where consumers feel less protected than they used to and find it hard to get access to satisfaction in law.

Whilst praising the Government for being ready to listen and for introducing new measures to tackle long standing problems, he urged Ministers to shake off the attitude that had become second nature in Whitehall in the past; a system where consumer protection laws were introduced with little investment or obvious desire to make them work.

Looking forward to a new era for consumer affairs, he urged central government to provide the resources to match the job. He also said local government should stop treating consumer affairs as a 'Cinderella function'. Out of every pound spent by local government, on average less than a third of a penny goes to fund its Trading Standards responsibilities (1).

'Local government could dramatically increase the amount it puts into the Trading Standards Service by as much as 25% right now - without having any noticeable impact on other responsibilities. An increase that would transform consumer protection and fair trading.'

He told local councils they were risking the loss of yet another of their responsibilities by failing to invest in the service. In a recent poll of Trading Standards Departments, nearly two-thirds reported that their 1998/99 budgets had been cut in real terms, by an average of 5%.

At the same time, three in four local authorities admit they can't meet their target for risk-based inspections. The Audit Commission reports that the average inspection rate of high and medium-risk businesses is 31% against an expected level of 59% and falling (2).

Galland stressed the urgency of Government producing the Strategy for Consumer Affairs that has been talked about for the past year. He hoped the Strategy would co-ordinate the activities of all seven Government Departments that have a hand in consumer affairs and would set out clear priorities and expectations.

The Strategy should give Trading Standards the power to stamp out, once and for all, the persistent rogue traders, cowboy builders, car clockers, home working fraudsters , illegal doorstep salesmen and phoenix companies who continually re-invent themselves to rip off customers.

He also called for better and cheaper access to justice on consumer complaints; a more effective mechanism for dealing with traders who are confused rather than criminals but face the same legal system as hardened crooks; and controls on distance selling scams, including the Internet (3).

Urging local authorities to work together and not try to 'go it alone' he ended by echoing Consumer Minister Nigel Griffiths' words to last year's ITSA Conference:

'No one should be in doubt about the importance of Trading Standards as a strategic service'.

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Product fakers are not Robin Hood!

Introducing a debate at the Institute of Trading Standards Administration 1998 conference on the œ760 million racket in fakes, Ed Chicken (ITSA Lead Officer on counterfeiting) detailed the cost to smaller businesses and the communities they serve.

Every fake bought is money from the pocket of a local trader. He slammed the 'robin hood' idea that counterfeiters provide brand satisfaction at a fraction of the cost - confirmed by a MORI poll that revealed 40% of the public would knowingly buy a fake.

He suspected the figure would drop considerably if the fakes were pharmaceuticals or aircraft parts - but bitter experience shows that even the professionals can be unaware that they are using fake medical equipment!

"Product counterfeiting should be on the political agenda alongside pension mis-selling, cowboy builders, package holiday problems or car clocking - but it is not and the subject does not even feature in the annual returns from the Office of Fair Trading."

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Unsafe products slip through the net

But not all.

Research commissioned by Trading Standards professionals reveals that many unsafe goods are NOT recalled and that some firms struggle to operate safety recalls effectively - simply through lack of guidance.

There are also concerns that global trading is not being matched by global standards of quality, safety and enforcement; with goods deemed unsafe in one country being exported to another market with a more relaxed attitude to safety.

The number of product safety recalls in the UK is increasing every year. Yet there is a lack of consistency on what is being recalled and why. Internationally, there is no single body responsible for monitoring what is happening and communication between regulators is poor. For example, it is easier to find out about recalls in America and Australia than within our European trading partners.

The report offers practical help for companies to prepare an efficient product recall plan.
It calls on the Government to require companies to report unsafe goods - as is the law in the States and Australia and to require companies to recall unsafe goods - as in the case in Sweden, Germany and Finland. It also asks the EC to ban the export of such goods, to develop an international strategy for product safety and to establish an accessible database linked to a fast and efficient 'alarm system' between Member States.

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Babywalker safety

problems are confined to ten models:

1. Bee Bop Albion with Activity Tray
2. ABC Design Activity Walker No 997064
3. Chicco Item No 63098
4. Brevi Speedy 'Art 554'
5. Silver Cross Safari
6. Baby Club New baby Walking Trainer Model T-1074
7. Mio Bambino/Mio Bambino Marnello
8. Scallywags
9. Mamas and Papas Walk'n'Play / Mio Bambino Walk'n'Play
10. Petite Star Gym Bar or Toy Bar (177 244.97) (Exclusive to Index)

• Petite Star Products 01923 663344, Replacement labels available from Index
• Chicco UK 01623 750870
• Mamas and Papas/Mio Bambino 01484 438292
• Kooltrade 0161 834 3436, purchasers of Scallywag brans babywalkers can get upgrade components free of charge

In a press release, Nigel Griffiths, Minister for Consumer Affairs, urged companies supplying babywalkers to ensure they comply fully with UK product safety regulations.
Mr Griffiths said: "Immediate action by manufacturers and retailers is required to restore public confidence in these products.
It is vital that baby walker manufacturers take immediate action to ensure that babies are safe. Liverpool and Caerphilly trading standards departments have raised serious concerns about the safety of a number of babywalkers. I share these concerns. Children who use babywalkers are at a particularly vulnerable age and need to be protected from any risk of injury from them.
All suppliers of babywalkers affected must co-operate fully with the trading standards departments involved in these investigations to ensure that all measures necessary to protect children are taken without delay.
Parents who have bought the models identified in the investigations carried out by trading standards officers must follow the advice provided by the importers and suppliers of those products.
The action which Liverpool and Caerphilly are taking relates to the safety requirements set out in the British Standard for babywalkers. I believe we can further strengthen the safety design requirements for babywalkers.
In the meantime work is underway on a European standard for these products and key DTI safety experts are working to ensure that the resulting standard will result in the highest possible levels of safety."
Neither Liverpool or Caerphilly are calling for a ban on these products.
Mr Griffiths added: "Very many parents find babywalkers useful and I have not received evidence to justify an outright ban on these products."

The safety of babywalkers is controlled by the General Product Safety Regulations 1994 in conjunction with BS 4648:1989.

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New EC Price Indications Directive

General Principles
The selling price and unit price shall be indicated for all products offered to consumers, except where the unit price is identical to the selling price.
Member States have some authority to waive the unit price requirements in certain circumstances, or where it would be likely to cause confusion.
Member States may also decide not to apply the requirements where:

• goods are supplied in the course of a service
• goods are supplied by auction

Display requirements
As is the current UK situation, prices must be unambiguous, easily identifiable and clearly legible. The maximum number of prices to be displayed may be limited in legislation, similar to the current requirements of the Food and Drink on Premises Order

Transitional arrangements
Although arrangements should be in place by 18 March 2000, Member States may allow a transitional period (probably three years) to allow small businesses etc catch up on the requirements of the Directive.
The Directive itself will of course have to be implemented by UK legislation.

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New Consumer Credit proposals