Consumer Affairs
- Which? Magazine
- for impartial, expert advice from the Consumer's Association
- Advertising Standards Authority
- who monitor adverts in the UK
- BBC Watchdog
- the BBC UK consumer television programme
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- offers information and advice for consumers.
- Court Service
- advice on going to court in the UK
- HM Revenue and Customs
- advice on excise duties and VAT if you're buying from outside the UK
- ICO (Information Commissioner's Office)
- Data Protection Registrar - you have the right to object to your personal details being used for direct marketing
- Ethical Consumer
- looking at the social and environmental records of the companies behind the brand names
- Fairtrade
- better prices, working conditions, sustainability and fair terms of trade for the developing world
- Friends of the Earth
- inspires solutions to environmental problems which make life better for people.
- Global Action Plan
- charity encouraging the public to be more environmentally sustainable
- Mailing Preference Service
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- Telephone Preference Service
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- Ofcom Office of Communications
- independent regulator and competition authority for the UK
- Froogle or Kelkoo or Shopping.com or Price Runner
- price comparisons
- Trust UK
- a non-profit organisation endorsed by the UK government to enable consumers to buy online with confidence
- Trading Standards Authority
- consumer protection information in the UK
companies who know the meaning of customer service and/or good product
- Cater Allen Business Banking
- good company chequebook account
- Croydon Eye Centre
- competitive pricing and good, friendly service from this opticians
- For Your Home
- Online shop for home goods. Gets things right when things go wrong.
- Southern Sheds
- reasonably priced, very customisable
- Wickes
- competitively priced DIY chain
useless companies to steer clear of at all costs (in my experience)
- Janice, my local Betterware distributor
- Betterware is associated with the Direct Selling Association
- Camden Contact Lens Centre
- rude and keep you waiting
- Gateway2000
- no concept of customer service - no replies to customer letters
- Goodmans
- shoddy goods, no concept of customer service - no replies to customer letters
- HSBC (Midland Bank)
- inept and expensive
- Prezzo Italian Restaurant, Redhill
- "but I didn't order a slug !"
- South Central Trains and Railtrack
- delays, cancellations, lack of pertinent information, rude
- all telemarketing companies
- for wasting our time and invading our privacy
- all tobacco companies
- except Silk Cut's advertising department
the right to breathe clean air
- ASH and ASH UK
- Action on Smoking and Health
- Quit Smoking.com
- information and products to help smokers quit
- Smoking From All Sides
- links about all perspectives of smoking
- Anti-Smoking.org
- smoke free youth (of America)
- Tobacco.org
- news and info
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