The enforcement of Trading Standards laws is carried out by a variety of means.
- We visit trade premises including manufacturers, retailers and importers. These visits are programmed according to a risk assessment.
- We ensure that weighing and measuring equipment is accurate and is used properly, goods are safe and correctly labelled, prices are displayed and descriptions used are true.
- We test and sample goods and services for safety, description and quantity.
- We carry out special projects and operations to deal with rogue traders and specific problem areas.
- We investigate alleged breaches of criminal legislation.
Trading Standards enforcement operates through 2 teams - Operations and Safety & Licensing.
The Operations team deals with general trading standards enforcement, which includes prices, trade descriptions, weights and measures counterfeiting and consumer credit.
The Safety & Licensing team deals with a number of specific areas of enforcement, including:- consumer product safety; the supply and servicing of motor vehicles; the supply and storage of petrol, diesel and other motor fuels on filling stations; the retail supply of bulk liquid fuel; the storage and supply of fireworks and other explosives; the retail sale of poisons; the regulation of licensed taxis & private hire cars; the supply of fertilisers & animal feedingstuffs.
The Trading Standards Enforcement Teams can be contacted by e-mail at trading.standards@highland.gov.uk or, during normal working hours, by telephone (01463) 228700 or by post (see contact details).