22.11.22 – Black Friday, Staffordshire Gritters, World Cup

With retailers bracing themselves for one of the busiest shopping days of the year, people are being reminded about the importance of knowing their consumer rights.

Black Friday is 25 November and shoppers are expected to spend around £4 billion on the latest technology, clothing, toiletries, toys and other household goods.

And with people on the hunt for even better bargains because of the additional cost of living pressures, Staffordshire County Council’s trading standards service wants people to do their research, know their rights and stay alert.

Officers are also pre warning people not to fall for scams or be duped buy counterfeit goods.

The latest consumer rights include legislation to allow people to obtain a full refund on faulty goods within 30 days of purchase, an ability to challenge unfair terms and conditions and to demand poor services are redone or that there is a price reduction.

Concerns about the sale of counterfeit goods can be reported to the Staffordshire fight the fakes hotline on 01785 330356.

Some tips for safe and secure shopping include:

• Do your research
• Be wise to scams in disguise
• Ways to pay: Beware of a seller who asks you to pay by direct bank transfer. Bank transfers have limited protection if things go wrong, so avoid using them.
• Know your consumer rights If you encounter a problem with a purchase, contact the seller and give them a chance to put it right. If that doesn’t work – reach out to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline

Further consumer advice is available at: www.citizensadvice.org.uk or telephone Citizens Advice consumer helpline: 03454 04 05 06.

Staffordshire’s army of gritters were out on Sunday night for the first time this season, as road surface temperatures fell to below freezing for the first time this season.

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Temperatures and road conditions across the network are monitored from weather stations across the county, and a team of winter decision makers make the call on whether to roll out the gritters.  On routine winter days and nights gritters will be focusing on the major routes and extending to the wider network in prolonged ice and snow conditions.

People can find out more about how the county prepares for winter at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/winter

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Staffordshire Police are stepping up their efforts to make sure the World Cup is enjoyed safely and responsibly across the county this year, as fans across the nation are expected to pack out local venues.

Last Tuesday the forces dedicated football officer, PC Rich Lymer, was deployed to the security team at St Georges Park as Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad left their HQ in Burton-on-Trent for Qatar.

For the next five weeks, PC Lymer and fellow officers will be policing the tournament locally – in the hope that Staffordshire communities can get behind the team and enjoy the spectacle as safely as possible. Officers like PC Lymer have been working hard over the last 30 years to eradicate the behaviour of those engaging in football-related violence in the UK.

This year’s World Cup marks the first major international tournament since the Lionesses made history at a sell-out Wembley Stadium back in July.

Police forces across the country are well prepared for the World Cup and have plans in place to reduce the risk of local crime and disorder, allowing people to enjoy matches safely and officers to disrupt those intent on engaging in disorder and draining police resources over a typically busy festive period.

To report a crime, contact Staffordshire Police on Facebook, Twitter, or call 101. Always ring 999 in the event of an emergency.