Trading Standards Manchester has an important regulatory role to play in a region which is so densely populated.  Manchester City Council, along with its neighbouring authorities, has information and advice available to the public on all aspects of trading standards, including:

  • Primary Authority
  • Safety notices
  • Product recalls
  • Loan sharks
  • Scams
  • Weights and measures
  • Licences and permits
  • Plastic bags

Plastic bags

The plastic bags one has, arguably, been the greatest success nationally. A 5p levy was introduced in October 2015 and this led to a massive reduction in single bag use (and environmental pollution) and last month, this cost was increased to 10p to further deter their use and purchase.

Some of the facts are quite staggering – before the 5p charge, there was 61,000 tonnes of plastic bag waste in England alone in 2014. There’s been a 95% fall in their use since.

All shops in Manchester, and indeed England, have to comply with plastic bag charges, though the Gov website usefully sets out exemptions:

Retailers are not required to charge you for the following:

  • paper bags
  • bags that are sealed transit bags used for alcohol and tobacco
  • bags which only contain certain items, such as unwrapped food, raw meat and fish where there is a food safety risk, prescription medicines, uncovered blades, seeds, bulbs and flowers, or live fish

As well as providing consumer advice, Trading Standards Manchester is also committed to helping business

We support businesses by raising awareness and promoting good practice. We believe in the policy of ‘prevention through advice’ by providing guidance to businesses on legislative requirements and associated best practice in an attempt to maximise the level of compliance with the law.

Specifically, for business, Trading Standards looks at:

  • Age restricted products
  • Animal health and welfare
  • Consumer rights
  • Fair trading – including pricing
  • Food
  • Safety
  • Weights and measures

Each one is far more complex than the bullet point suggests. Food for example encompasses: alcohol, colours, composition of meat and date marking, to name but four.

At DSL Consulting, Manchester, we can give you independent and authoritative advice on a one to one level about Trading Standards, that is compliant with local and national government guidelines.

Specifically, our trading standards advice covers:

  • Product Safety Product Recalls and more widely the requirements of PAS 7100
  • Labelling of products (food & non-food) including on-line requirements
  • Dealing with more complex consumer complaints across all areas of Trading Standards & Technical Legislation
  • Approach to risk and identify and understanding the market place
  • Assistance with any legal challenges/potential prosecutions

You only have to glance briefly at local news to see that Trading Standards is still vital in protecting individuals and businesses.

This one case, linked here, led to one unsuspecting consumer being asked to pay £75,000 for plumbing work. Another story that caught our eye was a firm being punished for selling knives online by Croydon Trading Standards.

If you’d like confidential advice, contact David Lovell today.