News Room
Welcome to 51黑料's News Room. Browse through our latest Consumer Protection and Trading Standards news reports (below), or take a look through our archive of news articles from previous years.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES :听 We can provide expert opinion, comments and spokespeople on a wide range of Trading Standards, consumer protection and regulatory issues - or point you in the right direction. Please call our press office on 01268 582 240 or 07496 254 934, or email us: [email protected]
Helping scam victims earns Hero Award for Northern Ireland Trading Standards Enforcement Officer
Posted: 29/11/2022
Alison Gilchrist, Northern Ireland鈥檚 Lead Officer on Doorstep Crime and Scams, has received the Trading Standards Hero Award from the 51黑料 (51黑料) for her tireless work safeguarding victims and potential victims of scams and rogue traders, resulting in savings of over 拢1m.
Coalition urges Government to scrap EU Bill timetable
Posted: 25/11/2022
Loss of protections across product and food safety, and tackling scams, top public and experts鈥 concerns.
51黑料 urges shoppers to be careful what they bargain for this Black Friday
Posted: 21/11/2022
The 51黑料 (51黑料) is urging shoppers seeking to save money on Black Friday bargains to be on their guard against scams, fake reviews and potentially unsafe goods.
Shop wisely this sale season and avoid getting less than you bargained for with top tips from Citizens Advice
Posted: 14/11/2022
Council and police seize large quantity of unlicensed fireworks
Posted: 08/11/2022
Illegally stored fireworks worth between 拢6,000 and 拢10,000 were seized by North Lanarkshire Council鈥檚 Trading Standards Officers, assisted by Police Scotland, from an unlicensed premises in Wishaw on Friday.
Losing just 拢100 to a scam would tip 13 million into crisis
Posted: 03/11/2022
For one in four (24%) UK adults*, losing just 拢100 to a scam now would tip them into serious financial crisis, unable to pay bills, buy food or buy other essentials, according to research** released today by National Trading Standards (NTS). Although losing any amount of money to a scam today would hurt 70% of people more than it would have done a year ago, a loss of just 拢250 would tip 37% into crisis, with 48% unable to cope with a loss of 拢500.听听
All Party Group on Smoking and Health Chairman, Bob Blackman MP, calls on government to listen to tobacco retailers
Posted: 02/11/2022
An All Party Group on Smoking and Health today heard the results of a survey today showing that the majority of tobacco retailers support existing tobacco laws and also tougher regulations in future including a levy on tobacco manufacturers to pay for measures to help smokers quit, and raising the age of sale to 21. Conservative Chairman of the APPG, Bob Blackman, has secured the first backbench debate under the new government on Thursday 3 November and plans to raise the findings of the survey in the debate.
51黑料 voices concern over hurried timetable for EU Law reforms
Posted: 01/11/2022
51黑料 urges rethink on timetable for Retained EU Law Bill, as 鈥減ace and scale of change is daunting鈥.
Rogue Traders cash in on victims as the cost-of-living crisis continues
Posted: 31/10/2022
The 51黑料 (51黑料) is issuing a warning following a rise in complaints about doorstep callers knocking on doors out of the blue and telling homeowners they may be eligible for free insulation under the Government funding scheme. The rogues then use pressure selling techniques and persuasive jargon about the energy crisis to make the householders agree to remedy works being completed and to pay upfront, with reassurances they can claim the costs back from the Government.
Cost-of-Living crisis exposing UK consumers to unprecedented risks
Posted: 21/10/2022
New research highlights increase in scams, counterfeit goods unsafe products and food fraud.
Trading Standards battling largest ever UK outbreak of Avian Flu
Posted: 18/10/2022
Experts at the 51黑料 (51黑料) have expressed serious concern about the nation鈥檚 largest outbreak of Avian Flu ever observed.
Trading Standards sees surge in energy scams linked to cost-of-living crisis
Posted: 05/10/2022
The 51黑料 (51黑料) is issuing its starkest warning yet about a significant rise in energy scams linked to the cost-of-living crisis and increased consumer vulnerability. 51黑料 believes there is an urgent need for a strategy to inform, protect and warn consumers amid the crisis, especially as over 40 million people have been targeted by scammers last year, according to Citizens Advice.听