Consumer Focus

Digital decade leaves out vulnerable consumers -
Vulnerable groups in Wales are being left behind in the digital revolution – that’s the stark warning from a new report from Consumer Focus Wales. The consumer champion’s latest report – Logg...

Consumer Focus’ response to the Queen’s speech -
Wednesday 18 November 2009 Responding to today’s Queen’s Speech Philip Cullum, Acting Chief Executive of Consumer Focus, said: ‘Consumer Focus has serious concerns about proposals in the Digital Economy Bill that may penalise files...

Disadvantaged consumers want help to switch energy -
  A Consumer Focus Scotland study exploring the attitudes of disadvantaged consumers to switching energy supplier has found that many currently struggle to even understand their energy bills and believe that there are too many barriers to...

Consumer Focus advises how to beat the burglars -
Consumer Focus joins action by the Home Office to protect older and vulnerable people from distraction burglars.  Burglars can trick their way into a home by posing as utility company workers, with 9,000 reported distraction burglaries takin...

Cost of paying by cash has little reward -
Some of the poorest people in Wales are choosing to pay more for essential goods and services – because they don’t trust or are confused by the banking system. A new report by Consumer Focus Wales reveals that people in Wales prefer to pay for goo...

Draft Annual Plan -
Consumer Focus has today published a draft Annual Plan for work the organisation will carry out in 2010 - 2011. The plan has been designed to deliver a programme of work that will address the key challenges facing consumers in this trying t...

Unemployed face Jobcentre lottery -
Tuesday 10 November 2009 New Consumer Focus qualitative research1 shows that some customers are experiencing real difficulties in getting what they need from Jobcentre Plus, and a national survey2 has shown British workers have little ...

Draft Annual Plan open to consultation -
Consumer Focus has today published a draft Annual Plan for work the organisation proposes to carry out in 2010 - 2011. The plan has been designed to deliver a programme of work that will address the key challenges facing consumers in this tryi...

Our league table names greenest supermarkets -
Some UK supermarkets are greening up their act and doing more to help customers shop green but others are lagging well behind according to new mystery shopping exercise by Consumer Focus. It found that the gap between the best and worst perfo...

Our league tables names greenest supermarkets -
Some UK supermarkets are greening up their act and doing more to help customers shop green but others are lagging well behind according to new mystery shopping exercise by Consumer Focus. It found that the gap between the best and worst perfo...

Reaction to new wave of post strikes -
Commenting on today’s announcement of fresh post strikes, Robert Hammond, Consumer Focus, said: “The longer the strike goes on the more it’s going to hurt. A big worry is the damage the strikes are having on Royal Mail’s customers, especial...

Fairness for consumers must underpin economic r... -
Call for consumer voice to have equal status with business and unions Government at all levels must take ownership of the consumer agenda and put it at the heart of economic recovery, Douglas Sinclair, Chair of Scotland’s consumer cham...

Credit card proposals -
Tuesday 27 October 2009   Consumer Focus’ response to Government credit card proposals   In response to Government proposals, announced today, to ensure that credit and store card companies give people a fairer deal, Linda...

Reaction to new fuel poverty figures -
Commenting on the release of the latest fuel poverty figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Jonathan Stearn, Consumer Focus, energy expert said: “The UK Government is losing the vital battle to end fuel poverty. The lates...

Over a million deals too much for mobile users -
Consumers love their mobiles but when it comes to finding the best deal, they face an overwhelming range of tariffs and patchy information. This means they often cannot choose the best match to their needs, an investigation by Consumer Focus reve...

Over a million deals too much for mobile users -
Consumers love their mobiles but when it comes to finding the best deal, they face an overwhelming range of tariffs and patchy information. This means they often cannot choose the best match to their needs, an investigation by Consumer Focus reve...

Mother to address new Consumer Food Safety Group -
Mother to address new Consumer Food Safety Group A MOTHER who lost her young son during the 2005 E.coli O157 outbreak will address a new group set up to improve trust in food safety across Wales. Sharon Mills will address the first meeting ...

Reaction to new fuel poverty figures -
Commenting on the release of the latest fuel poverty figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Trisha McAuley, energy expert at Consumer Focus Scotland said: “The latest government figures suggest that there are now 6.6 m...

Consumer Focus Scotland appoints new director -
Marieke Dwarshuis has been appointed to the post of Senior Director of Consumer Focus Scotland.   Marieke is currently the Head of Policy and Development at the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and was previously the reg...

New coalition seeks to wipe out fuel poverty -
Campaigners across Wales have come together to end the scourge of fuel poverty in Wales. The new Wales Fuel Poverty Coalition is led by Consumer Focus Wales and NEA Cymru and includes a dozen major campaign groups. The coalition will launch...

Stand up to ‘scareware’ scammers -
Consumer Focus Wales has urged consumers to beat the computer ‘scareware’ scammers and protect their systems from being hijacked. Scareware is a pop up message that appears to come from your own computer warning that your computer has been infec...

Advice for consumers during postal strikes -
Commenting on the announcement of a national postal strike, Maria Battle, Senior Director at Consumer Focus Wales, said: "This is the news we'd all hoped to avoid. We are very disappointed and we are calling on both sides to return to the negotiating...

Postal strike advice for Northern Ireland -
Commenting on the announcement of a national postal strike, Chris Thirkettle, post expert at Consumer Focus Post, said: “This is the news we’d all hoped to avoid. Efforts to seek urgent, independent mediation should be redoubled. “Neither the...

Post strike: letter to Lord Mandelson -
Larry Whitty, Chair, Consumer Focus, has tonight written to both sides of the postal dispute, and to Peter Mandelson, urging them all to take urgent action to avert an unnecessarily protracted and damaging national strike. In the letters, L...

Comment on announcement of national postal strike -
Robert Hammond, Consumer Focus, said: “This is the news we’d all hope to avoid. Efforts to seek urgent, independent mediation should be redoubled. “Neither the protagonists or Royal Mail’s customers have anything to gain from this strike. B...

Fuelswitch earns Consumer Focus accreditation -
Consumer Focus welcomes Fuelswitch.com to the list of energy price comparison services signed up to its Confidence Code. Fuelswitch.com is now the thirteenth energy price comparison service provider to sign up to the Code. To gain accreditati...

ACAS intervention called for in post strike -
Commenting on the announcement of a national postal strike, Rick Hill, Chairman of Consumer Focus Post, said: ‘It’s hugely disappointing to watch this great national institution tear itself apart. We call on Royal Mail and the Communication Wo...

Unfair energy pricing must be exposed -
The Project Discovery review is important and timely and Consumer Focus will work closely with Ofgem to understand the consequences for consumers and how to avoid the worst of the implications. Commenting on the review, Consumer Focus energy e...

Prepare consumers for impact of climate change -
British consumers are increasingly familiar with the risks posed by climate change but are much less aware of how their lives will be affected, or what measures they need to take to adapt to its impact, new research by Consumer Focus reveals1. ...

Ofgem and Consumer Focus Work Together -
Much good practice identified in suppliers’ procedures but more must be done to prevent the vulnerable being disconnected Rapid reconnection for vulnerable customers inadvertently disconnected Proposals to beef up safeguards to pr...

Consumer Focus calls for ACAS intervention in post -
Commenting on the announcement of a national postal strike, Robert Hammond, post expert at Consumer Focus, said: ‘It’s hugely disappointing to watch a great UK institution tear itself apart. We call on Royal Mail and the Communication Workers ...

Consumers unsure of sexual health privacy rights -
Fears over a lack of confidentiality and low levels of customer care could deter people from accessing sexual health services, warns Consumer Focus Wales. Responding to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Sexual Health and Wellbeing in Wales co...

Adaptation to climate change report and survey -
...

Bill will widen choice says consumer body -
Scotland’s foremost consumer organisation has welcomed the publication of the Legal Services (Scotland) Bill today, Thursday 1 October, as a step forward in widening choice for users of legal services. Sarah O’Neill, Head of Policy and Solici...

Reduce risks and increase benefits of smart meters -
London, 30 September, 2009 Call to reduce the risks and increase the benefits of smart metering for consumers Smart meters with portable stand alone displays have the potential to bring many benefits to consumers, but the technology also ...

Illegal file sharing: a change of focus -
30 September 2009 Illegal file sharing: a change of focus The debate on illegal file sharing should focus on the reform of the UK’s copyright licensing system, not on punitive enforcement measures, Consumer Focus, the independent watchd...

User focus of largest review of civil justice -
Consumer Focus Scotland has welcomed Lord Gill’s Report of the Scottish Civil Courts Review, which was published today. The report makes far reaching recommendations on improving access to civil justice in Scotland. Speaking after the launch of t...

Tenancy deposit scheme welcomed -
Scotland’s leading consumer organisation has welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement that it will introduce a national scheme for safeguarding tenancy deposits in the private rented sector. Martyn Evans, Director of Consumer Focus Sco...

Transparency vital in plastic bag charge debate -
Consumers will need to know how their money is being spent if a proposed charge on single-use plastic carrier bags is introduced in Wales, according to Consumer Focus Wales. Consumer Focus Wales supports the principle of encouraging consumers ...

Proposed news consortia must be regulated -
Scotland’s foremost consumer organisation is calling for the proposed Independently Funded News Consortia (IFNC) to be rigorously regulated to ensure that they provide high quality output in Scotland.   Speaking after the ...

Threat of Postal Strike - Advice for consumers -
Consumer Focus Post (Northern Ireland’s postal consumer champion) is advising customers to be aware of the possibility of national industrial action by Royal Mail postal workers and to follow Consumer Focus Post’s tips to avoiding disruption in t...

Dangerous toys make up one in three of recalls -
Children’s toys account for almost a third of products recalled in the EU in the past four months according to latest data from Consumer Focus Labs. The Recalled Products website has recorded the recall of 680 faulty products in the EU since ...

Response to Ofgem's quarterly report -
Responding to the publication of Ofgem’s new quarterly report on the relationship between wholesale and retail energy prices Robert Hammond, energy expert at Consumer Focus, said: ‘There’s a grim predictability about Britain’s energy suppliers...

Response to postal strikes and delayed mail -
Robert Hammond, Consumer Focus, said: “There are conflicting reports on the amount of delayed mail, but many consumers who rely on the postal service are clearly experiencing problems as a result of the strikes. “Given the situation, banks...

CFS response to Ofgem quarterly report -
Responding to the publication of Ofgem’s new quarterly report on the relationship between wholesale and retail energy prices and the responses of the ‘big six’ energy companies to last month’s price challenge by the regulator, Trisha McAuley, Hea...

Consumer guide to managing common repairs -
Consumer guide to managing common repairs Tuesday 15 September An updated version of Consumer Focus Scotland’s popular and informative guide to managing common repairs has been published today. The new version of ‘Common Repair, Co...

Response to the ‘know your consumer rights’ launch -
Consumer Focus’ response to the ‘know your consumer rights’ campaign launch Consumer Focus is encouraging customers to find out more about their rights as part of the ‘Know Your Consumer Rights’ campaign, to ensure they get the best deal. ...

Proposed mobile phone giant must benefit consumers -
Bid to create a new mobile phone giant must focus on benefits of mobile users Responding to the announcement today that Orange and Deutsche Telekom are to tie-up their UK businesses to form a new mobile phone giant, Audrey Gallacher of Consume...

Welsh consumers unsure of GM food facts -
Welsh consumers unsure of GM food facts Fewer Welsh consumers know about genetically-modified (GM) foods than six years ago, according to a Consumer Focus Wales survey. In 2003, a survey for CFW’s predecessor body, the Welsh Consumer Counci...

Energy watchdog welcomes new Ofgem role -
Commenting on Ofgem’s announcement today that it has established a new role of Director for Scotland, Wales and the regions, Martyn Evans, Director of Consumer Focus Scotland, said: “We welcome the appointment of this new post by Ofge...

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