Consumer Protection
Environmental Health Officers carry on the function of Consumer Safety (Protection) on behalf of the Council. Consumer Protection legislation serves to protect consumers against the supply of dangerous goods.
The main piece of legislation which authorises Council Officers to deal with unsafe goods is the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Regulations have been made under this Act which impose safety requirements for a wide range of consumer goods for example:
- electrical equipment
- furniture
- toys
- bicycles
- pushchairs
- motor vehicles tyres
Furthermore the General Product Safety Regulations impose a general duty on suppliers to ensure that all products, including second hand goods supplied for private use are safe.
In fulfilling the Consumer Protection functions the Environmental Health Officer undertake the following activities.
- responding to consumer complaints
- carrying out inspection of premises to ensure goods on sale are safe
- providing advice to suppliers about legislation
- sampling a wide range of consumer goods - either to be tested in-house or at approved test houses for examination to ensure they meet the required standards of safety
- remove unsafe goods from sale
- take action against offenders
- carry out regular surveys of targeted products
What should you look for when buying goods?
When purchasing goods you should follow the Consumer Code:
The Consumer Code
- only purchase goods from a reputable supplier
- examine goods to see if they carry any safety symbols or signs e.g. BEAB Approval, Kitemark, CE Mark, Cigarette/Match Resistant labels etc
- read all the warnings carefully and follow the operating instructions
- keep receipts as proof of purchase
- only use goods or equipment for the purpose for which they are intended
What should you do if you think you have bought an unsafe product?
Contact Environmental Health who will investigate the complainant.
The Officer may wish to examine the product. It will be useful if you still have the receipt or proof of purchase.
The product or similar products may be sent for testing.
The complaint procedure may take several months to complete. Any subsequent action taken by Environmental Health will relate to Consumer Protection and safety issues and not to attaining compensation for the complainant. This is a matter that can be dealt with through your own solicitor.
Remember: We only deal with UNSAFE goods.
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