Suffolk Trading Standards

Suffolk Trading Standards is the enforcement service that is responsible for protecting consumers and legitimate traders from scams and unfair trading.

We provide consumer advice through a regional Trading Standards helpline Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 040506.

Historically, we were known as Suffolk Weights and Measures Department because our primary function was to maintain the integrity of commercial weighing and measuring by routine testing of equipment and goods.

We 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 and the Office of Fair Trading.

We advise on and enforce laws that govern the way we buy, sell, rent and hire goods and services.

These laws cover a wide area, which includes:

- counterfeit goods
- product labelling
- product safety
- food labelling
- weights and measures
- under-age sales
- animal welfare

Our duties include:

- visiting local traders for routine checks or to investigate complaints
- taking samples of goods for testing
- checking that weighing scales and measures are accurate
- checking that food labelling is correct and advertising is not misleading
- advising consumers and businesses about the law
- investigating suspected offences, which could include undercover or surveillance work
- preparing evidence and prosecuting cases in court