Devon County Council

From Pam Newby, Exeter 383654, June 25, 2008

Devon County Council's Trading Standards has announced the formal merger of its Approved Trader Scheme CustomerFirst with Buy With Confidence.

The announcement was made at the Trading Standards Institute's annual conference in Bournemouth.

CustomerFirst was launched in 2003 to recognise and support Devon businesses which trade in a legal, honest and fair way and provide customer-friendly service. More recently the scheme has been adopted by Trading Standards in Bath North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Buy with Confidence was originally launched by Hampshire Trading Standards in 1999 and is now operated by Trading Standards Services across the South East.

Both schemes are also founder members of the Local Authority Assured Trader Scheme Network which is supported nationally by Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading.

The shared aims of both schemes are to recognise and support local businesses which are proud of the customer service they provide and to help consumers to avoid rip-offs and cowboys by providing a list of approved traders from across the business spectrum. The merger of the two schemes is a natural progression and, with over 20 authorities across Southern England already running the schemes and many more set to join, the merger will make Buy With Confidence the largest Trading Standards Assured Trader Scheme in the country. Business members already exceed 2000, with numbers increasing on a weekly basis.

Prospective members receive a trading standards audit to check compliance with trading standards legislation and to ensure that appropriate customer service procedures are in place. If they meet the criteria, they are invited to become members of the scheme and must abide by the scheme's code of practice. And it doesn't stop there, once a business becomes a member of the scheme they are constantly monitored by the Trading Standards Service to make sure their standards do not slip. Feedback is invited from their customers and re-visits are carried out.

Two more local authorities, Bournemouth Borough Council and Dorset County Council, have also announced their start-up of the Buy With Confidence Scheme at the conference. Dorset will be introducing the Buy With Confidence Scheme for all trade sectors, whereas Bournemouth will begin the conversion of their existing schemes for the building and motor trades into the Buy With Confidence family.

Councillor Brian Berman, Devon County Council's Executive Member for Communities, said "This is great news for local businesses and I would urge as many as possible to consider joining this scheme. Not only does it enhance the standing of reputable local businesses who join, but it is also another weapon in our fight to marginalise the rogue trader."

For more information about Buy With Confidence visit:

www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk.

Notes for Editors:

For further information contact Paul Thomas, Head of Devon County Council Trading Standards Service, on 07816 227154.

As well as assisting consumers, Buy With Confidence will benefit businesses in many ways including:

independent recognition of high business standards,

positive publicity,

business details on the national Buy With Confidence website, which is visited by over 50,000 consumers every month,

a certificate to display on their business premises, and use of the Buy With Confidence logo,

increased consumer confidence,

a named contact for the business with the Trading Standards Service,

a better relationship with regulators based on co-operation rather than enforcement,

advice and possible mediation in any disputes with customers, and

a regular newsletter including information on the scheme, new legislation, and trade scams.

Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 provides free consumer advice. This service is provided by Consumer Direct in partnership with Devon County Council.

Advice can also be found at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk