Issue(s) Consumer protection Accountability and governance Parent department Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) Related documents | We reported on the system of consumer protection across central and local government in 2011 and we published an update in 2014. We also conducted workshops with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and its delivery partners. We identified problems with the system for protecting consumers, finding that, although much detriment occurs at the regional and national level, incentives are weighted against a coordinated approach. Although there are no reliable figures, we estimated the cost of detriment, which cannot be tackled at local level, was more than £4.8 billion each year. The system for enforcing consumer law was fragmented and underequipped to tackle serious consumer scams. | Impact: The department cited our work as a catalyst for changing the system of consumer law and providing new rights to consumers to protect them against rogue traders. The government also sought to improve delivery and accountability arrangements, giving Trading Standards a stronger role in co-ordinating enforcement activity. We plan to revisit the new arrangements in 2016-17.
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