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Consumers stand up for their statutory rights
Consumers are more likely to stand up for their statutory rights than seek help or advice from official sources, a major new survey reveals.
Ipsos MORI asked more than 900 people from across England and Wales about what they would do if they were sold faulty, unsafe or wrongly described goods or confronted by poor hygiene in a restaurant.
More than half of consumers said they would tackle the owner or manager about a problem themselves. Only around a third said they would turn to official sources - such as the local council, Citizens Advice Bureau or Consumer Direct - for help or advice. Nearly one in 10 would take no action or were unsure of where to ask for help.
The research has been published by the Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) to mark National Consumer Week.
Clive Grace, the LBRO chair, said:
"The survey shows that most people believe that the customer is king and are willing to stand up for their rights. But trading laws can be very complicated and it isn't always easy to understand what your rights are.
"Consumer protection is something that local councils generally do very well, protecting the public before problems arise. They can't make every transaction perfect, so it is important that people know they can seek help if they are dissatisfied with faulty or unsafe goods or bad food hygiene.
"There are many excellent sources of free impartial advice that consumers in England and Wales can turn to for help. People should not be afraid to seek advice if they believe they are not getting what they paid for."
If faced with faulty, unsafe or wrongly labelled goods 51 per cent of shoppers say they would ask to see the store owner or manager. The next most popular options are approaching the local council (15 per cent), Citizens Advice (12 per cent) and Consumer Direct (four per cent).
And 53 per cent say they would ask to see the manager if they were concerned about poor hygiene in a restaurant. Almost a quarter (28 per cent) would contact their council, with five per cent turning to Citizens Advice or Consumer Direct for help.
Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, said:
"Current economic conditions are tough and consumers are telling us that value for money is their number one concern. It's good to see that a large number of consumers are willing to challenge businesses when they believe they've received a raw deal.
"Recent changes have streamlined consumer advice and complaints services. Organisations like Consumer Direct and councils are there to help and people should feel confident to contact them simply for advice or to make a complaint if necessary."
Notes to editors
1. The full survey is available at http://www.lbro.org.uk,
including a detailed technical annexe with full regional breakdowns.
2. Ipsos MORI interviewed a representative cross-section of 901 residents of England and Wales aged 15 + in June 2008. The interviews were conducted face-to-face in-home, using computer assisted personal interview technology.
3. The Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) helps local authorities improve their environmental health, trading standards, fire safety and licensing services - reducing burdens on businesses that comply with the law while targeting those who flout it. It was incorporated as a government-owned limited company in May 2007. Following the commencement of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008 on 1 October 2008, it now operates as an executive non-departmental public body, accountable to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform through the Better Regulation Executive. LBRO is governed by an independent Board, has a staff of around 25 and is based in central Birmingham. It has a remit that covers the whole of the UK, and works closely with the devolved administrations to ensure its work in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is appropriate to the unique constitutional position of each. For further information about LBRO please visit http://www.lbro.org.uk
Media enquiries to Karl Turner on 0121 226 4019.
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