What do Trading Standards Officers do?
• Trading Standards Officers enforce a wide range of consumer related legislation, for example the Weights and Measures Act 1985, the Consumer Protection Act 1987, the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 and the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The job involves visiting premises to ensure that legislation is complied with, giving advice to traders and consumers, and investigating complaints of breaches of legislation. Investigations range from the simple in the case of a retailer not pricing items correctly, to complex in the case of a motor dealer ‘clocking’ motor vehicles. Offenders are prosecuted, or in Scotland reported to the Procurator Fiscal. Authorities also employ enforcement officers who carry out a similar job to TSOs but usually in one specialised area. They do not normally discharge any Weights and Measures duties. More information about training can be seen on this site at TS Careers • What rights do I have when I buy faulty goods in a shop? • When you buy goods from any trader you have
