Tag: Trading Standards

ASA and Trading Standards join forces to shut down 14 illegal weapons websites

Stuart Mitchell

A successful partnership between the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Trading Standards has resulted in the removal of 14 websites illegally advertising prohibited offensive weapons to UK consumers. While the ASA is not a criminal enforcement body, we play an important role in identifying potentially unlawful advertising and ensuring that concerns are directed to the appropriate authorities. When advertising for prohibited weapons is brought to our attention, we can and will refer cases to enforcement partners, including local authority Trading Standards services, for further investigation and action. In this case,…

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Loyalty pricing schemes must not be misleading, says Trading Standards

Stuart Mitchell

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has welcomed a new report by consumer group Which? highlighting ‘murky and confusing’ loyalty pricing practices among UK retailers, and is calling for improved protections to ensure that shoppers are not misled. Research by Which? revealed that prices of products at retailers including Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op were raised for a relatively brief period of time before going on ‘offer’. Which? also found that more than half (55%) of shoppers thought non-member prices were higher than the usual selling prices of…

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