Government launches initiative to give consumers a better deal
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has launched its Better Choices, Better Deals initiative.
Its aim is to empower consumers to get the best deals, demand better products, and to be able to resolve problems when things go wrong when buying goods.
The initiative marks a shift away from legislating to instigate change. Instead it seeks to put in place a wide range of new programmes that have been developed in partnership with businesses, consumer groups and regulators. The aim is to stimulate debate and feedback on how consumers can empower themselves and others.
The British Retail Consortium said that the Government’s plans to ‘empower consumers’ must not put costly new obligations on retailers.
BRC’s Director of business and regulation Tom Ironside commented: “This wide ranging document includes some interesting ideas that could support action retailers are already taking, in response to demand from customers, in areas such as providing nutritional and environmental information on food and other products.”
He added: “A light-touch, non-regulatory approach is welcome but voluntary agreements or Responsibility Deals can end up imposing the same burdens as formal legislation. They must be used with care.”
