Pauline Munro considers the legislation enacted last year to protect
consumer interests
As a number of well-known retailers have discovered to their cost
recently, the government is stepping up enforcement of regulations to
protect the interests of consumers. "Stop Now Orders", which were
introduced a year ago, allow British consumer protection bodies to
pursue rogue traders operating both in the UK and from abroad by taking
out court injunctions to prevent traders from breaking the law. Breach
of a Stop Now Order could lead to fines and/or imprisonment for contempt
of court.
The Stop Now Orders Regulations introduce a sharper, swifter and more
efficient mechanism for the OFT and other consumer protection bodies to
enforce existing law. Amongst others, the Regulations cover laws made
under EC directives on unfair contract terms, consumer credit,
misleading and comparative advertising, sale of goods and guarantees,
television broadcasting activities and the
