Before 6 April 2006 more than half a million small business should receive a letter and booklet from the Government giving basic guidance on the new regulations.

The regulations are essentially a ‘catch-all’ type of legislation to theoretically stop unfair practices including prize draw scams, bogus sales and making persistent unwanted phone calls to pressure people to part with money.

The regulations are the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPR’s).

The regulations are designed to simplify consumer protection law by banning 31 types of unfair commercial practice.

The Government sees CPR’s as having three key benefits.

  • Catching unfair trading practices that fall between existing rules under current legislation

  • Harmonising and strengthening consumer protection across the EU. The CPR’s have brought in the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive which all member states are required to sign up to

  • Modernising and simplifying consumer protection law, making it easy for consumers and business to understand.

    Trading Standards Officials have expressed concern that the final legislation has been late in publication and hence the TSO is not yet ‘up to speed’ with the law.

    Beware though there will be some enthusiastic official keen to make his/her mark with a new tool in the armoury!

    Visit www.lawgistics.co.uk or call 0870 26 77 118 for more information.