Trading Standards is the name given to local authority departments in the UK formerly known as Weights and Measures

Weights and Measures Act

A Weights and Measures Act is an Act of Parliament determining trade law where the weight or size of the goods being traded are important. For example, if a bottle of milk is for sale and has a label saying it contains one pint, then the law states that it must contain that amount.-United...

. These departments investigate commercial organisations that carry out trade in unethical ways or outside the scope of the law.

History

They were so called as their primary function was to maintain the integrity of commercial weighing and measuring by routine testing of equipment and goods.

Function

They now deal with more diverse issues under a wide variety of Acts, Orders and Codes of Practice, as set out by central government, the Food Standards Agency

Food Standards Agency

The Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food throughout the United Kingdom and is led by a board appointed to act in the public interest...

 and the Office of Fair Trading

Office of Fair Trading

The Office of Fair Trading is a not-for-profit and non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforces both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the UK's economic regulator...

. Such legislation includes the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008

Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 is a statutory instrument in the United Kingdom, made under the European Communities Act 1972. It came into force on 26 May 2008....

, the Consumer Protection Act 1987

Consumer Protection Act 1987

The Consumer Protection Act 1987 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made important changes to the consumer law of the United Kingdom. Part 1 implemented European Community Directive 85/374/EEC, the product liability directive, by introducing a regime of strict liability for...

, the Consumer Credit Act 1974

Consumer Credit Act 1974

The Consumer Credit Act 1974 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that significantly reformed the law relating to consumer credit within the United Kingdom....

, the Food Safety Act 1990

Food Safety Act 1990

The Food Safety Act 1990, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is the statutory obligation to treat food intended for human consumption in a controlled and managed way....

and the Price Marking Order 2004. Recent priorities include prevention of sales of counterfeit goods, sales of tobacco and alcohol to under-age buyers, and action to prevent exploitation of vulnerable consumers by scams and doorstep crime.