A set of new legislations have recently been introduced
to protect consumers against unfair trading. The worst
offenders could face fines of up to £5,000 or a prison
sentence of up to 2 years if they are prosecuted by the regulating
bodies – the Office of Fair Trading and the Trading Standards
Authority.
The 31 banned methods of trading under the Consumer Protection
Regulations were implemented at the end of May, and refer specifically
to scams that trick consumers into purchases they would not otherwise
have entered into. Advertising of sales and special offers
come into scrutiny under the new rules – ‘closing
down sales’, for example, when a store is not closing are
now prohibited.
At present, however, there is no structure in place to allow
consumers to take action to claim compensation for unfair trading. The
Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform are working
towards this.
