What Trading Standards does

The job of Trading Standards is to protect consumers and traders in East Sussex. To do this we:

• enforce government legislation
• offer advice to consumers via Consumer Direct
• provide advice and inspections for businesses
• deal with around 11,000 customer complaints and trade enquiries each year
• investigate offences and prosecute offenders.

We handle complaints against companies or businesses trading in East Sussex (excluding Brighton & Hove). We also handle consumer complaints made by people who live in the county.

If you want to complain, see getting consumer advice and making a complaint.

Our responsibilities

Some of the areas we are responsible for include:

• advertising and description of goods or services
• safety of consumer goods
• estate agents
• credit and loans
• food labelling, inspections and sampling
• weights and measures equipment
• hallmarking and counterfeit goods
• animal health
• underage sales
• pricing.

Information for consumers

We are able to:

• advise you about your legal rights when buying goods or services
• guide you in pursuing a complaint yourself
• identify sources of information and help
• help you prepare for court in certain circumstances
• mediate with a trader on your behalf, when appropriate.

We are not able to:

• demand refunds, replacements or apologies from traders or close them down
• take court action on your behalf
• pursue an unjustifiable complaint
• divulge trader information.

Information for businesses – inspections

There are over 15,000 business premises in East Sussex. These include farms, wholesalers, importers and manufacturers and high street businesses (consisting of both national chains and local retailers).

Many businesses might only be visited every five years, although those regarded as high risk (such as food manufacturers) may be visited several times in one year. Further visits may be made when a complaint has been received, and especially if a trader asks us for advice.

Visits allow us to sample and test products, and give traders an opportunity to ask questions and reassure themselves that they are trading fairly.

Who we work with

We work closely with a wide range of other agencies and organisations, including:

• Consumer direct – to provide first line consumer advice
• Defra – for farming community support
• Food Standards Agency – for food composition and labelling
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – for support on explosives
• Sussex Police – for work on crime reduction
• East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service – for fire safety and advice.

Our policies and plans

More information about the services we provide and how we intend to improve them, our enforcement policy and legislation we enforce is on our page:

• Trading Standards – policies and plans

We want your feedback

Please let us know what you think about our services. Your feedback will help to improve the service we provide for consumers and businesses.

• Your views about our Trading Standards service

Our awards and accreditation

We are the first Trading Standards service in the UK to be awarded the Customer Service Excellence Award.

We also hold the Investors in People Award, the Quality Mark of the Community Legal Services Commission, and are independently accredited by the British Standards Institute to the International Quality Standard BS EN ISO 9001.