The Trading Standards Service aims to ensure that fair trading laws and practices are observed throughout Torfaen for the benefit of both the consumers and local trade and business. The service aims to eliminate the effect of unfair commercial practices on both consumers and legitimate businesses.
A wide range of legislation is enforced which relates to the quality, quantity, safety, description, and pricing of goods and services. A programme of planned inspections are carried out to businesses throughout Torfaen to ensure that they are complying with the relevant legislation. New legislation introduced in 2008 now bans certain trade practices which are detrimental to consumers. These are typically aimed at rogue traders or those traders aiming to mislead consumers or restrict their rights.
Responsibilities include:
Quantity - Trading Standards Officers regularly test weighing and measuring equipment used by businesses throughout Torfaen to check that when members of the public purchase for example, a pint of beer, a tank of petrol or a length of carpet, the goods have been correctly weighed or measured.
Quality - Laws are enforced relating to the composition, labelling and description of food produced or supplied in Torfaen. Foods must not be adulterated or have the ‘use by’ dates altered or expired. A programme of planned test purchasing of food articles is carried out throughout the year.
Safety – All products available in the market place must meet stringent safety standards so as not to expose the purchaser to an unacceptable level of risk of injury or death. A rolling programme of inspections and sampling seeks to ensure that all goods are safe.
Price - It is an offence to make misleading claims about price reductions or to overcharge on price marked goods. Trading Standards carry out regular checks to ensure that this does not occur.
Descriptions - All goods and services have to be accurately described.