CTSI has announced that it is working to ensure consumer protection is levelled up alongside the rest of the UK Government’s post-Brexit plans.
A new white paper, entitled ‘The Benefits of Brexit: How the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU’, sets out the Government’s intention to build upon the ‘legislative freedoms’ it says have been gained through ending EU membership. CTSI is working to ensure that levelling up consumer protection is a core element of the strategy and is engaging with the Government on the issue.
CTSI Chief Executive, John Herriman, said: “There are several positive initiatives in the white paper, but also elements that concern us. CTSI is focused on ensuring that consumers are protected within the proposals because there is a danger that these protections could be gradually eroded.
“We need to see an effective consumer protection strategy sitting alongside these proposals, which is essential because consumer protection is good for business, and the consumer confidence derived from it helps drive the economy.”
CTSI has also said that it welcomes the white paper’s focus on protection issues related to green consumer products, which are seen as an area of rising importance as the net-zero agenda advances.
“The UK is rightly proud of its consumer protection standards, and we must use this opportunity to maintain our high standards as well as being proud to showcase them to the rest of the world. In an international trading environment, we must also ensure that we do not inadvertently create arbitrary barriers to trade which any lowering of regulatory thresholds and standards might do.”
Various previous proposals, such as a mooted reintroduction of Imperial Measures, in addition to ongoing budgetary challenges experienced by trading standards services across the country, have sparked concerns among CTSI’s members.
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