The Approved Code Scheme is operated by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute


Consumer News and Policy

Welcome to our News and Policy pages. Here you'll find news items, blog posts and articles about the Approved Code Scheme, the various Sectors covered by the Scheme, and other consumer protection issues. We'll also include details of any policy or public information campaigns that we - or our sector-specific Code Sponsors - are involved with.


Latest News


Media Enquiries? The Approved Code Scheme - including both the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and all of our Code Sponsor organisations - can provide expert opinion, comments and spokespeople on a wide range of consumer protection topics. If you have a story you believe we should get involved with, please call our Press Office on 01268 582240 or 07811244602, or email us: pressoffice@tsi.org.uk


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New Guidance Pack Gives Home Buyers the Power to Resolve Complaints and Disputes

11 April 2025: A new guidance pack from the Consumer Code for Home Builders (CCHB) is giving home buyers in the UK the tools they need to tackle complaints and disputes with confidence. Whether it’s a delay, poor build quality, or misleading information, this guidance pack helps buyers navigate the often-stressful process of holding builders accountable.

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Two thirds of UK Second-hand Car Buyers at Risk of “No Protection if Something Goes Wrong”

02 April 2025 : Buyers of second-hand cars have a shaky understanding of their consumer rights, don’t know where to go to complain if they have a problem with a car they have bought, and value the peace of mind offered by trader vetting schemes, according to new research commissioned by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI).

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Energy-efficiency Pledges ‘Undermined by Lack of Consumer Confidence’

18 June, 2024 : New polling commissioned by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has revealed that Labour and Conservative party plans for renewed investment in domestic energy-efficiency initiatives are likely to be undermined by a lack of consumer awareness about available funding support, unfamiliarity with the technology involved, and uncertainty about where to find reliable tradespeople to carry out green energy upgrade work.

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PLEASE NOTE : We recently changed the consumer-facing name of the scheme from the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS) to the Approved Code Scheme. However, some of our publicity and contractual materials (produced before June 2024) may still include references to the original name. Until we have adapted everything, both names remain valid - and we apologise for any confusion.

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