According to Which?, consumers are increasingly vulnerable to crime and unsafe products due to significant cuts in trading standards services. A recent study revealed that some councils have fewer than one trading standards officer per 100,000 residents. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute reported a more than 50% reduction in funding over the past decade, coinciding with a rise in fraud, which now constitutes over 40% of all crimes. The research also showed that the lack of resources has led to a “postcode lottery” in consumer protection, with some areas significantly better staffed than others. Heather Kidd from the Local Government Association attributed these issues to “ongoing budget constraints” and an ageing workforce.
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