(OFT) Trading standards action saves consumers £347 million a year - new figures

Action by local authority Trading Standards Services (TSS) to protect the public from unfair trading practices saves UK consumers at least £347 million a year, the OFT revealed today.

In a new study OFT found that, on average, for every £1 that TSS spend on this work, they deliver direct consumer savings of at least £6.

The overall figure of £347million includes:

* an estimated saving of at least £228m a year delivered by TSS through tackling unfair trading practices. This includes actions against traders providing goods and services without reasonable care and skill, misleading claims and omissions, aggressive and coercive selling or unfair contract terms.

* an estimated saving of at least £119million a year delivered by TSS advice and assistance to consumers.

The groundbreaking research is the first time the financial impact of this work, carried out by nearly 200 TSS across the UK, has been evaluated. The OFT is also encouraging individual TSS to use the same methodologies to estimate consumer savings they deliver locally.

OFT Chairman Philip Collins said:

'The current economic climate means that work by local authority Trading Standards Services to promote and maintain fair trading in their communities and across the UK is more important than ever.

These findings demonstrate the very substantial contribution that Trading Standards Services make to the economic prosperity of the UK by protecting consumers and preventing them losing hundreds of millions of pounds each year.'

Consumer Minister Gareth Thomas said:

'The impressive work of Trading Standards Services translates into nearly £350million of savings each year for consumers. Trading Standards is working hard to stop rogue traders ripping people off whilst ensuring that businesses can still compete effectively.'

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald OBE, the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) Chairman said:

'This report from the OFT shows how valuable council trading standards services are to local people and they really do save them and businesses a lot of money. It shows that in levelling the playing field for all, council trading standards officers are keeping an extra £347 million in people's pockets and confirms they are doing everything possible to protect consumers and ensure that businesses can compete fairly.'

(OFT) OFT launches market study into the sale of second-hand cars

The OFT has today launched a short market study into the sale of second-hand cars.

The study follows concerns about the large number of consumer complaints relating to the sector. Last year, more than 68,000 consumers complained to Consumer Direct about issues with second-hand car sales. Concerns around defective vehicles, services and potentially misleading selling are consistently among the top complaints to the government-funded advice service.

The second-hand car market is large, with sales of approximately £35 billion in 2008, and the level of harm appears substantial: the financial cost of car clocking alone is estimated to be £100 million per annum.

The purpose of the study is to understand the causes of such high levels of consumer complaints and to consider whether existing consumer protection legislation is sufficient and effective in this sector.

The study will focus on sales by dealers rather than private sales between individuals, but the findings will aim to provide clarity across the wider second-hand car market. The OFT hopes to work closely with the second-hand car industry, local authority Trading Standards Services, consumer bodies and other interested parties.

John Fingleton, OFT Chief Executive, said:

'Buying a second-hand car is a major and potentially difficult purchase, given the fact that many consumers lack the necessary experience or knowledge to make an informed buying decision. We aim, particularly given the current financial climate, to look at the entire process for consumers when buying a second-hand car and whether existing regulation delivers sufficient robustness, confidence and clarity for both the customer and car dealer.'

The OFT expects to complete the work by the end of the year. The OFT will be contacting key parties directly; other interested parties can submit written views by 5 June to second-handcars@oft.gsi.gov.uk.