Know Your Rights – National Consumer Week Campaign at Eastgate Centre, Inverness

Shoppers visiting the Eastgate Centre can visit a Highland Council Trading Standards stall and find out about their shoppers rights.  National Consumer Week 2009, which begins on Monday, 14th September and runs through to Friday, 18th September is a national event organised by the Trading Standards Institute.  This year’s theme is aimed at raising consumers’ awareness of their rights and how they can access information and advice through Consumer Direct and the UK European Consumer Centre.

Highland Trading Standards have taken the message a step further by joining with other agencies and services in a week long event at the Eastgate Centre, Inverness. 

Alistair Thomson, Highland Council’s Head of Trading Standards and Environmental Health said: “We felt that having a presence at the Eastgate Centre for a week was a golden opportunity to work with other agencies and services that inform and advise the public on a range of issues that can impact on people’s lives.

“Hundreds of people pass through the Eastgate Centre each day either for shopping or going to work.  We hope that visitors to the centre will take time and come along to our stand.  The planned week is very varied and should attract members of the public from all walks of life.  We will have a different theme each day, including rights and advice regarding doorstep sellers / bogus callers; shopping rights; money matters from issues such as how to reduce your council tax to finding out about your credit record, as well as highlighting how to access other agencies / services that the public might not know about.

“We hope to make this an interesting experience for visitors to the Centre and we will have information on how to enter a ‘consumer rights quiz’ where shoppers who know their rights have the chance to win shopping vouchers.

“Highland Council Trading Standards Officers will be on hand each day to answer general consumer questions or highlight where further information can be found.  Other agencies and services involved will also have staff available to answer general questions.  As this week has a number of different partners involved each day we have put together a schedule of events which shows guest partners for the week.  We hope visitors to the Highlands and residents alike make the most of this opportunity to find out about their rights. We would also like to give our sincere thanks to Eastgate Centre Management for allowing us to run this event during this week.”

Further advice about the national campaign relating to ‘Know Your Rights’ can be found on Consumer Direct website at: /  and Trading Standards Institute website on: http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/

7 Sep 2009