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Paul Burton, Acting Deputy Director of Communications and Head of Consumer Education Strategy, Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT)

What is your professional background?

I've a mixed academic background in science and law. I spent the beginning of my career as a research scientist, peering at the insides of marine algae with an electron microscope. My first mid-life crisis saw a move to law and an eight-year spell teaching law and business to a wide range of students in the further and higher education sectors. In the late 90s, I decided to take a short-term contract working in London – and I've been here ever since! Moving from Consumers' Association (now Which?), I joined the OFT to head their consumer codes policy team at the end of 2000. In 2003, I was seconded to the Department of Trade and Industry to lead work on redress and legislative proposals for its consumer strategy consultation. I returned from secondment in 2004 to head the OFT's consumer education strategy.

Describe the central responsibilities of your current role

At present, I'm Acting Deputy Director of Communications at the OFT. In that role I deputise on most aspects of the OFT's communications work. My current focus is on developing our communications strategy as part of the OFT's recent restructuring. My 'day job' is Head of Consumer Education Strategy. In this role I have lead responsibility for developing and implementing the OFT's consumer education strategy – and turning policy into practice. In 2004, the OFT set up an Alliance for consumer education in the UK. Supporting and developing the Alliance takes up a good deal of my team's time – and mine.

What are the main aims of the national consumer education strategy and what impact will it have in Northern Ireland?

Our strategic aim is quite simple – to give consumers the skills and knowledge to function confidently, effectively and responsibly when buying goods and services. We know that a lot of consumer education work is being done. Some of it – for example, the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland's work – is of a very high standard. But there is a lot of duplication and inefficiency. We therefore have the practical aim of co-ordinating provision across the UK. For Northern Ireland, this will mean improved access to resources developed elsewhere in the UK, new opportunities to showcase its own work and reach new audiences – and new opportunities for partnership working.

How sophisticated are consumers in the modern marketplace?

OFT's own research suggests that consumers may be less sophisticated than they think they are. It's certainly true that many consumers have high levels of knowledge and are confident that they are making the right choices. However, markets are ever more complex and the pace of technology means that consumers are faced with dizzying choice and vast amounts of information. Even the savviest of consumers need help sometimes and many continue to be hampered by poor literacy and numeracy skills. Consumers have to be as sophisticated as the marketplace – and consumer education has a big role to play.

Is it difficult for consumers today to find the best deals?

The sheer choice and complexity of products and services today means that finding the best deal can be a complex business. Witness the growth of all those 'best deal' websites. There's lots of information - but it's more and more difficult to analyse it and make balanced decisions. Consumers need increasingly sophisticated skills to research and analyse what's out there. Hence the skills focus of the OFT's consumer education strategy.

What do you believe are the key elements in educating consumers?

It's important to remember that consumer education is a proactive process. It's not something that only comes into play when things go wrong. Consumer education should aim to build long term improvements in consumer skills and knowledge and initiatives should be planned with these outcomes in mind. Activities should be clearly targeted, contextual material should be relevant and absolutely up to date and a range of different learning methods should be offered. Most importantly, learning outcomes should be measured. This is hardly ever done at present. Delivery channels are vitally important and the OFT is looking closely at the role intermediaries can play in skilling consumers.

Has there been a change of approach in skilling-up consumers nationwide?

I'd like to think that the OFT's strategic approach to coordinating UK activity through the Alliance represents a big change. It's also true to say that OFT's new 'whole-market approach' to working sees consumer education as a vital tool in making markets work well. Consumer education will increasingly be integrated across the OFT's work. At a more fundamental level, it's pleasing to see unanimous acceptance that consumer education is more about improving consumer skills than merely providing information. The days when consumer education meant leaflets are long gone. In this respect, we are probably ahead of the game compared to our European counterparts.

What are the best resources and organisations to reach consumers across the board?

The best resources are those that are flexible, current and targeted. The best organisations are consumer facing. Possible candidates might include advice agencies, community support groups and primary healthcare outlets. In fact, any intermediary organisation with a strong consumer profile and frequent contact with consumers might offer the potential to reach consumers across the board.

What is the most challenging aspect of your work?

Developing the Alliance's role in co-ordinating UK consumer education provision has to be one of our biggest challenges. We know there are thousands of initiatives across the UK. We commissioned research recently and it estimated a current spend of £44m on major, nationally-scoped consumer education activities alone. Making sense of all of this represents a big challenge. So too is the task of integrating consumer education into the OFT's new 'whole market' approach to working.

How do you relax away from work?

Until last summer, I would have said archery – I shoot and occasionally teach others to shoot the English longbow - cycle touring, walking and photography. Since last summer, I seem to have developed a keen interest in paint schemes, decorating and soft furnishings, as I moved house last August.