Trading Standards

East Sussex County Council

We provide consumer advice and ensure businesses trade fairly and within the law. We deal with animal health, licences for explosives, firework sales and poisons, underage sales, consumer complaints, doorstep sales, cold calling, loan sharks, fake goods, scams and approved trader schemes 'Buy With Confidence' and 'Support With Confidence'. Open Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5pm and Fridays 8.30am-4.30pm.

Contacts

For general consumer advice and complaints about goods and services, contact Citizens Advice consumer service on 08454 04 05 06.

For business advice, licences and consumer complaints in East Sussex, contact Trading Standards below.

Trading Standards
St Mary's House,
52 St Leonards Road,
Eastbourne,
East Sussex BN21 3UU
See a map of this address

Phone: 0345 60 80 197
Fax: 01323 463422
Email Trading Standards

We have special contact details for some services:

Animal health - enquiries about legislation on the movement, feeding and treatment of farm animals, licences to keep or train animals for public performance or specific diseases like bird flu.

Email Duty Team - Animal Health

Business Support Network - East Sussex businesses can join our free email updates about changes to trading law, the latest scams and Trading Standards press releases.

Phone: 01323 463436
Email Business Support Network

Buy With Confidence - find businesses in East Sussex that have been approved by Trading Standards. For consumer enquiries phone 08454 04 05 06, for business enquiries phone 01323 463440.

Email Buy With Confidence

Support With Confidence - database of approved providers of personal care, who have been vetted on grounds of quality, safety, and training.

Phone: 01323 463440
Email Support With Confidence

Counterfeit goods - to report someone selling fake goods, phone Consumer Direct or email Stop Fakes saying where and when you saw the goods being sold, what the goods were, the brand name and details about the seller, their premises or vehicle.

Email Stop Fakes

Underage sales - we check that businesses aren’t selling age-restricted goods to underage customers, and prosecute offending businesses.

Phone: 01323 463447
Email Lead Officer (Age Restricted Sales)

Further information

Business and trade advice
Help and advice for consumers
Buy With Confidence – approved traders scheme
Support With Confidence – finding care and support you can trust
Form – business support network membership application
Free application to join the Business Support Network.
Form – consumer support network application
Join the network of organisations working together to raise awareness of consumer rights issues throughout East Sussex.
Form – consumer champions application
Become a local volunteer who helps people keep up to date with consumer issues, and advise on any problems.
Form – explosives – licence a building to store
Apply for a licence to store explosives in East Sussex. You need a licence if you store more than 5kg of explosives (including fireworks, marine flares and air-bags).
Form – explosives – register a building to store
Apply for a registration to store explosives. You need a licence if you store more than 5kg of explosives (including fireworks, marine flares and air-bags).
Form – fireworks sales
Register to sell fireworks throughout the year. You must apply for a licence if you want to sell fireworks at any time of year.
Form – poisons – licence to sell
Some household products contain non-medical poisons. Businesses selling these must apply for a licence from Trading Standards.
Form – animal feed businesses - apply for registration or approval
To comply with EC regulations, businesses involved in animal foodstuffs need to register with or be approved by an appropriate agency, and submit a statement of compliance.
Form – animal feed business - statement of compliance
To comply with EC regulations, businesses involved in animal foodstuffs need to register with or be approved by an appropriate agency, and submit a statement of compliance.
Form – performing animals licence
If you intend to keep or train animals for public performance – for example, in a circus, television, theatre or in a film – you must apply for a licence from our Trading Standards service.