Consumer Protection

Consumer Protection

What is Consumer Protection?

Consumer Protection involves ensuring all goods on sale to the public are SAFE for their intended use.  The responsibility to supply safe consumer goods applies all the way down from the manufacturer to the retailer. This means, that products being sold should comply with any relevant legislation or recognised safety standard.

The main pieces of legislation dealing with the safety of consumer goods are:

• The Consumer Protection Act 1987              

• The General Product Safety Regulations 2005

These cover most goods.  However, there are some exceptions such as cars and medicinal products.

Environmental Health has a role in ensuring consumers are protected against the potential risks from unsafe goods that are manufactured or sold within the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area.

What we do:

• Inspect premises to make certain consumer goods supplied are safe and fit for purpose
• Investigate complaints of unsafe consumer goods
• Respond to hazard warnings of unsafe consumer goods that have been identified
• Carry out surveys of identified consumer goods to make certain they meet safety standards
• Routine sample testing of a range of consumer goods to make certain they meet the relevant safety standards. This can be carried out in-house or through a test-house.
• Provide an advice service to the suppliers and manufacturers of consumer goods informing them about the relevant legislation that applies to their products
• Launch educational campaigns and initiatives with the aim of raising awareness of consumer safety
• Provide advice to the public in relation to consumer safety.