Trade Descriptions Act 1968
Under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, it is a criminal offence for a trader to make false statements about goods offered for sale. This also applies to services, accommodation or facilities but in this case an offence is committed only if the trader knows, or does not care, that statements are false or misleading.
An example of a false trade description is the turning back of the mileage on a car's odometer - known as 'clocking'. It is an offence to 'clock' a car and it is also an offence to sell a 'clocked' car.
Other examples are -
- false descriptions of the materials from which an item is made e.g. claiming a piece of furniture is solid mahogany when it is not, or
- businesses claiming to be approved by a trade association when they are not.
False decriptions can be given orally or in writing.
| Enforced by | Northern Ireland Trading Standards Service |
