London Trading Standards (LTS) Week continues today, celebrating the work being done by Trading Standards teams across the capital to ensure residents get what they pay for when buying goods and services.
As part of an ongoing London-wide project to address consumer detriment during the cost-of-living crisis, Trading Standards Officers have been inspecting businesses to ensure consumers are not paying more than they should at the till.
While most retailers required a reminder about their pricing practices, some severe failures were identified. These included shops having almost no prices displayed or use of inaccurate price indications.
From weighing vegetables by hand, to scales placed out of view of customers, in some instances the breaches identified required more formal action to be taken.
LTS’s Cenred Elworthy said: “As food prices continue to rise it is especially important that traders make sure they stay within the law. This means goods on sale need to be price marked and where required accurately weighed.
“Trading Standards Officers across London have been working with businesses to drive compliance but where traders continue to fail to follow legal requirements they can face unlimited fines as well as confiscation of unsuitable weighing equipment.”
Consumers are encouraged to share any knowledge they may have of poor pricing practices by visiting the LTS website and clicking on ‘report consumer crime’.
