Spending Review Submission - Reforming the UK's Consumer Enforcement System

The UK has a world-leading regulatory system that promotes competition and protects consumers. It offers a vital set of levers that help make markets work better and boost economic growth, which is rightly a core mission of this government. Yet well-balanced and growth-enabling protections for consumers and businesses are too often undermined by elements of an enforcement system that is poorly-resourced, outdated and increasingly not fit for purpose. 

Which? is particularly concerned about the effectiveness of Trading Standards (TS) services. These are a foundational public service, based within local authorities, that matters to people; whether they are consumers that need protecting or businesses that deserve to compete on a level playing field against others. They are also a service that is important to the delivery of key government missions, primarily driving economic growth. 

However, the current state of TS services leaves people and businesses unprotected from illegal activity. Our new research, a comprehensive Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all 187 TS Services in Great Britain, exposes a postcode lottery where resources and priorities differ. Overall, they are frequently failing to fulfill their traditional duties and have not been capable of making the changes needed to address new harms in the UK’s increasingly digital economy.

This Spending Review provides the opportunity to start significant cross-departmental work to improve TS services, and ensure the consumer enforcement system as a whole is working for consumers, businesses and offering value for money.