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Policy Paper on Consumer Advice Non Statutory Service

  1. The Trading Standards Service delivers a wide range of services for the benefit of consumers, industry, commerce and society as a whole. Its aim is to foster fair trading and compliance with consumer protection legislation and the delivery of consumer advice is part of the array of services designed to meet that and other objectives. The service also strives to meet the Council's strategic objectives which lay stress on the need to provide advice and information to the people of North Lanarkshire thereby promoting social inclusion, promoting community development and stimulating the local economy.

  2. Whilst there is no statutory requirement to deliver consumer advice, authority to do so is contained in:

    Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973

    Weights and Measures Act 1985

    Because of the nature for the present day market it is all too easy for consumers to fall prey to unscrupulous, unfair, offensive and fraudulent trading practices. The Consumer Advice Service aims to promote consumers' awareness of their rights and obligations and to assist them when things go wrong.

  3. On the wider front the European Community, now the EU, published its "Consumer's Charter" in 1975 which identified five basic rights to which it stated consumers were entitled. Amongst them were: -

    The right to protection of economic interests.

    The right to redress.

    The rights to representation.

  4. The development of a North Lanarkshire Consumer Support Network is part of a DTI initiative deriving from the Government's White Paper: Modern Markets – Confident Consumers which sees consumer advice as being one of the cornerstones to the development of consumer empowerment and improved standards in the supply of goods and services. Trading Standards will assume a lead role in setting up and steering the CSN, which will result in a much more integrated consumer advice service throughout the Council area. At its centre, Trading Standards will play a pivotal role as the only agency able to enforce legislation and liaise directly with the Office of Fair Trading and the other enforcement agencies. It will also develop best practice in the delivery of services and assist participating agencies to achieve accreditation under the Quality Mark Scotland.

  5. By delivering consumer advice and dealing with complaints against traders in North Lanarkshire, the service benefits from the build up of a database of trader activity. When instances of malpractice arise they can either be dealt with locally by the enforcement teams or co-ordinated in wider area by partnering other agencies to tackle the problem.

  6. Information on complaints and enquiries is forwarded quarterly to the Office of Fair Trading which then compiles the statistics on a national basis. This allows the OFT to take an overview of business practice and make representation to the government on measures to curb those which are unacceptable.

  7. Amongst the Consumer Advice Services delivered by the Division are: -

    Pre-purchase advice to ensure that consumers receive value for money.

    Receiving and recording complaints about the supply of goods and services.

    Providing a conciliation service to consumers who have problems with local traders supplying faulty goods and services.

    Supporting consumers seeking redress by other means – arbitration and litigation.

    The use of Codes of Practice for the resolution of consumer complaints.

    Support for consumers, as litigants, in small claims in the Sheriff Court.

    Talks and presentations to schools and other interest groups on consumer rights, means of seeking redress and other related issues.

  8. By delivering an efficient and effective Consumer Advice service, not only will the Trading Standards Service have the benefit of feedback and information deriving from public concerns as expressed through consumer complaints but this benefit can also be enjoyed by, and cascaded to, other agencies with the consumers' interests at heart.

  9. The policy of providing immediate advice to residents and shoppers in North Lanarkshire will allow the service to act as the eyes and ears of the Office of Fair Trading and therefore play a significant and valuable part of the policing of the market place both locally and nationally.
Further information on the Consumer Advice service can be viewed under Living Here, Consumer Advice or by clicking on the hyperlink.


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