Trading Standards

Consumer advice  Business advice  What we do  Contact us Trading Standards Enquiries

Our aim is to protect Argyll and Bute’s residents, visitors and businesses and maintain a fair and safe trading environment where local businesses and consumers can thrive.

We are a regulatory service dealing with a wide range of Scottish, UK and European Legislation relating to the quality, quantity, price, description and safety of goods and services. 

Our activities include:

• Fair trading – preventing traders from acting unfairly against buyers, including unfair contract terms and the restriction of consumers’ rights.  Other Fair Trading topics include:
  • Pricing – most goods on display for sale must be priced, special rules apply when dealing with sales
  • Consumer credit – specific requirements relate to advertising, licensing and documentation
  • Consumer protection – a general ban on unfair trading means that traders must act in a way that enables the average customer to make free and informed purchasing decisions.  It also outlaws aggressive sales techniques and bans a number of unfair practices that might misinform or mislead consumers. Further information in relation to bogus workmen and scams is available, or contact Consumer Direct for further information on consumer protection generally.
  • Counterfeiting and trademarks – from cigarettes to DVDs and CDs, from computer games, clothing or perfume to car parts
• Weights and measures – weighing and measuring equipment “in use for trade” must be tested and verified before use and operate to strict tolerances. The weights of pre-packed goods and loose goods sold by weight or measure are also subject to specific regulation.
• Safety - All goods on sale to the public must be generally safe, and specific requirements relate to many goods e.g. toys, fireworks.  Licences relating to the safe storage and use of petroleum and explosives are issued by Trading Standards
• Quality and environment – Enforcing controls relating to fertilisers, pesticides and animal feeding stuffs
• Age related sales - Ensuring goods such as solvents, cigarettes and fireworks are not sold to persons under the appropriate age
• Licenses - Trading Standards are also responsible for the administration and enforcement of several other licenses and registrations

Need consumer advice?

Office of Fair Trading website gives information on how to avoid scams, and how to find trustworthy businesses to deal with.

If you need advice regarding a product or service which you are not happy with, you should contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, which has replaced Consumer Direct.

You can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0845 4040506, visit their website at www.adviceguide.org.uk or submit a complaint online

The service operates from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Mondays to Fridays, excluding bank holidays.  Advisors are trained on all aspects of consumer rights and help people to take the best course of action when they have a consumer problem by giving legally correct advice. Provision of advice is free but call charges to the national 0845 4040506 number are around 6p per minute from a BT landline (depending on your package). Charges from other networks may vary and mobiles may cost considererably more. Alternatively you can also dial 0208 1850 710.

Need business advice?

Businesses within Argyll and Bute can contact us for advice and information.

Not an Argyll and Bute resident or business?

Find your local service at www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice 

Trading standards education

Consumer Education can be accessed online at www.askcedric.org.uk and at the OFT website.