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Policy Paper on Consumer Education Non Statutory Service

  1. The primary purpose of providing goods and services should be to benefit consumers and the community at large. The purpose of the service is to promote fair trading in the provision of those goods and services.

  2. Traditionally, commercial and professional providers have adopted the attitude of knowing what is best for the consumer. Increasingly this view has been challenged by the growth of consumers' interest in their rights and obligations, the growth or the consumer protection service industry, the development of the customer care ethic and initiatives such as the Citizens' Charter.

  3. Consumers are now also prepared to take matters into their own hands by complaining directly to suppliers. This development is the result of, and will be further encouraged by, the provision of consumer education that empowers consumers in dealing with such providers.

  4. When things go wrong, consumers need to know how to put them right. They need to know to whom to complain, what they are entitled to and when to take matters to a higher level. Providers often have their own arrangements for dealing with complaints but there is a range of other agencies who are able to offer support and deal with complaints. Consumer education will help people complain effectively and understand the roles of the different agencies involved.

  5. Consumers need access to information to gain awareness of their rights, obligations and choices, and in order to reach the appropriate decisions. Such information is affected by the readiness of suppliers and other agencies to make this advice and information available and in a form that consumers can readily understand. Consumers' take up of the information in turn is affected by their awareness of what is available and by their cultural, educational and other background factors. Consumer education can help people work out what their needs are, where to go for advice and information, and how to put it to good use.

  6. Consumers should be in a position to select goods and services that best fit their requirements and preferences. Choices may well be constrained by what consumers themselves can afford. Consumer education can help consumers develop awareness of the choices that are available and the criteria for selecting such goods and services on the basis of cost, economy, convenience, safety and reliability.
  7. Furthermore, as the EU produced a Directive requiring its member states to take steps to promote the development of consumer education in schools and further education, it has become imperative to ensure that not only consumers have access to the appropriate resources but that tomorrow's consumers, who are in the classroom today, are equipped with the necessary life skills to enable them to obtain value for money in the market place.

  8. The Trading Standards Service is uniquely placed to provide the consumer education alluded to above. The expertise and intelligence accumulated as a direct result of both the provisions of consumer advice services and the statutory obligations placed upon them, produces a resource which can be tapped to serve this end.
  9. Consequently, it has been the policy of this service to promote consumer education on matters relevant to the work of the Department, i.e. the law relating to the supply of goods and services and related legislation. This service is delivered through the Protective Services Division's mainline offices, its various information and advice points and with plans to utilise the world wide web for information and educational purposes.
  10. Consumer education can be delivered to the schools by providing the necessary resource material for teachers to produce a cross curricular approach. One-off talks and displays can also be used to raise awareness of consumer issues and act as a catalyst, generating interest in the subject.
  11. Encouragement to take part in the Young Consumer of the Year Competition also focuses the pupils' minds on consumer issues and injects a competitive element that in turn produces enthusiasm for the subject. The same applies to the European Young Consumers Competition which encourages the production of project material on a range of consumer themes e.g. advertising, healthy eating, competition, market testing etc.
  12. Consumer education on the broader front can be delivered by means of:

    -  Displays in town centre Advice Centres.

    -  Talks and presentations to women's groups, mother
       and toddler groups, church and community groups, etc.

    -  Participation in media features and news items.

    -  Participation in the events of National Consumer Week
       which raises the public awareness of consumer issues.
  13. The first Director General of Fair Trading, Sir John Methvin, once remarked that -

    The better informed people are about their rights and
    obligations, the less need there is for legislation to protect them.

  14. It therefore follows that the responsibility devolves onto everyone involved in "consumer protection" to ensure that the sentiment expressed above is translated into action and that the Trading Standards service uses its expertise and experience to meet that objective.

Further information on the Consumer Education service can be viewed under Living Here, Trading Standards or by clicking on the hyperlink.

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