ABSTRACT
Local government departments are responsible for enforcing consumer protection laws within their own areas. This means that they have very considerable experience of local trading conditions, which they channel to the relevant government departments and to the Office of Fair Trading. Environmental Health Departments of local authorities deal with contraventions of the Food and Drugs Act and its Regulations. Trading Standards Departments, sometimes called consumer protection departments, deal with the Weights and Measures Act, the Trade Descriptions Acts, consumer safety legislation, the Consumer Credit Act and a great deal of other legislation. A number of organizations came into existence independently of the government to represent consumers either wholly or as part of their other activities. The Environment and Consumer Protection Service of the European Commission acts as a focus for the consumer impact on directives which seem relevant to consumers, as well as organizing the consumer voice on matters like the Common Agricultural Policy.
