News in 2005
- 30 Dec 2005 Fake DVDs and CDs seized in raids More than GBP 1.5 million-worth of pirated goods including DVDs and CDs have been seized in a series of raids.
- 29 Dec 2005 New guide to green claims Shoppers searching out bargains in the post-Christmas sales should beware of certain 'eco-friendly' logos that aren't all they appear, says a new government guide.
- 28 Dec 2005 Pest threat from imported plants Gardeners are unaware of the environmental threat posed by pests and diseases from imported plants, according to the Royal Horticultural Society(RHS).
- 21 Dec 2005 Crazy Frog frenzy Thousands of mobile phone users who ran up big bills downloading the Crazy Frog ringtone could be in line for a refund.
- 21 Dec 2005 Store card changes not enough Measures proposed today to prevent shoppers running up huge bills on high-interest store cards don't go far enough, says Which?.
- 20 Dec 2005 ITV News Channel axed ITV has announced it is to axe its News Channel a month early so that staff can have a break over the festive season.
- 14 Dec 2005 Comet backs down High street chain Comet has admitted giving bogus information to shoppers about the benefits of its high-definition television (HDTV) sets.
- 13 Dec 2005 Your rights online Millions of UK shoppers are getting a raw deal because they don't have the same rights as their Continental counterparts, according to Citizens Advice.
- 12 Dec 2005 How to cheat call centres A website is set to give out tips on getting round companies' automated call centre systems.
- 12 Dec 2005 British gas strikes British Gashas said it will do its 'very best' to protect vulnerable customers during a series of strikes by its heating engineers.
- 09 Dec 2005 Government phonelines More than one in three people ringing government helplines are not getting through according to damning new figures released today
- 08 Dec 2005 Stamp prices rise The price of a first-class stamp is set to rise next April by 2p to 32p.
- 08 Dec 2005 Payment protection Companies selling loan repayment cover are to be investigated over concerns that consumers could be getting a raw deal.
- 08 Dec 2005 Bt offers TV BT has signed deals with three entertainment giants to provide programmes, music and films for its planned TV-over-broadband service
- 07 Dec 2005 Waterstones bid referred Book buyers have helped to put the brakes on a multi-million pound bid by Waterstone's to buy one of its main rivals.
- 06 Dec 2005 O2 tops customer poll Shoppers rate O2 stores the best place to buy a mobile phone on the high street, says an annual survey published today.
- 05 Dec 2005 Safer EU shopping New measures to streamline European law should make it easier to take legal action if you're sold shoddy goods by a shop based on the Continent.
- 05 Dec 2005 More spent on boys Parents will spend almost GBP 100 more on sons than on daughters this Christmas because boys want more expensive toys - and are better at pestering.
- 02 Dec 2005 Problem postal service If you forget to send cards this Christmas, you've good reason to claim they were lost in the post.
- 01 Dec 2005 Pensioner refused email Pensioner Herbert Humphreys was refused an email address because his name was 'offensive'.
- 30 Nov 2005 Empire have misled consumers... again A catalogue shopping company exposed by Which? for its misleading mailshots has fallen foul of the advertising watchdog for the fifth time in a year.
- 30 Nov 2005 Pension scheme lifeline Proposals announced today for a national pension saving scheme are a lifeline which could save UK pension provision.
- 29 Nov 2005 Watchdogs failing MPs in a select committee have branded the consumer watchdogs Energywatch and Postwatch 'feeble'.
- 29 Nov 2005 OFT raps scammers The company behind a scam which lured thousands into calling an expensive phone line has been forced to give legal undertakings to curb its behaviour.
- 28 Nov 2005 Oil company investigated Ofgem has called for an urgent enquiry to investigate allegations that major gas suppliers have been withholding supplies to artificially push up prices.
- 26 Nov 2005 Sony's best buys Entertainment giant Sony is the best audio visual brand of 2005, according to new Which? Awards.
- 26 Nov 2005 Nintendo wins in 2005 The portable Nintendo DS has been heralded as the most innovative new product in the Which? Awards 2005.
- 26 Nov 2005 Metronet's top honours Internet company Metronet has come out on top as the Best Broadband ISP in the inaugural Which? Awards.
- 26 Nov 2005 New Which? awards Which? has launched new annual awards to honour companies who have produced the best products and services over the past year.
- 26 Nov 2005 Bosch are the best That's the verdict of new Which? Awards honouring the companies who have produced the best products over the past year.
- 26 Nov 2005 BT enhances car security BT has launched a new car security system which uses global positioning technology to pinpoint the location of a stolen vehicle to within a few feet.
- 24 Nov 2005 Tesco gets sums wrong Supermarket giant Tesco has been fined thousands of pounds for misleading shoppers about the cost of its wine.
- 23 Nov 2005 Xmas Xbox shortage British stores are already warning that games fans face a wait to get their hands on the Xbox 360 after it's launched in the UK next week.
- 22 Nov 2005 Stop internet fraudsters The telecoms regulator has warned that tougher measures are needed to stop the internet dial-up scams that can add hundreds of pounds to victims' phone bills.
- 22 Nov 2005 Flu vaccines diminished Britain's stocks of winter flu vaccine are dwindling after bird flu fears apparently spurred many more patients to get a jab.
- 17 Nov 2005 OFT to act more speedily Britain's competition watchdog is too slow in cracking down on rip-off businesses according to a new report.
- 17 Nov 2005 Catch bad estate agents Which? is urging the House of Lords to take on the rogue estate agents who fleece and hoodwink homeowners.
- 17 Nov 2005 HIPs from 2007 Which? has welcomed news that Home Information Packs (HIPs) will be compulsory for anyone selling a home from June 2007.
- 16 Nov 2005 Online prices 'hiked up' Leading electronics companies have been accused of giving shoppers a raw deal by forcing up the cost of online goods.
- 16 Nov 2005 Rising electrical costs Internet traders complain that manufacturers are charging them 10 to 15 per cent more than they charge high street stores for TVs, DVD players and other electrical products.
- 15 Nov 2005 Driving refresher courses Older drivers are in favour of refresher courses to help them deal with the hazards of busy modern roads, a new survey reveals today.
- 14 Nov 2005 Savings accounts slammed One in six 'easy access' savings accounts penalise customers for withdrawing money, claims research published today.
- 13 Nov 2005 Older motorists to brush up skills Older drivers are in favour of refresher courses to help them deal with the hazards of busy modern roads, a new survey reveals today.
- 10 Nov 2005 Scammer convicted A prize-hotline conman who raked in thousands of pounds by duping people into calling because they thought they'd won a car has been sentenced to 200 hours' community service.
- 10 Nov 2005 Open all day Sunday A consumer group is calling for Sunday trading hours to be extended so that people could shop when they wanted to.
- 10 Nov 2005 Rental cut plan for BT Phone customers look set to get a better deal after the phone regulator put pressure on BT to cut the amount it charges other companies for renting its lines.
- 10 Nov 2005 Energy firm's price hike Millions of homeowners are facing steep rises in their fuel bills after one of the UK's largest energy companies announced a price hike.
- 09 Nov 2005 BBC reveal donation The BBC has agreed to be clearer about the GBP 2 it's donating to Children in Need out of the GBP 12.50 price of special charity egg cups, following intervention from Which?.
- 09 Nov 2005 Jersey's cheap DVDs A scrap between Tesco and Amazon over which one sells the cheapest CDs and DVDs has highlighted the savings offered at Jersey-based websites.
- 08 Nov 2005 Uninsured cars seized The government is proposing a major expansion in wheel clamping to deal with minor motoring offences and announced tough new powers to tackle the UK's two million uninsured drivers.
- 07 Nov 2005 Kid's knives and alcohol Children as young 13 are able to buy alcohol and knives over the internet, a new survey has found.
- 07 Nov 2005 Payment protection Companies which sell payment protection insurance (PPI) have been reprimanded for failing to check whether those buying it would be barred from using the policy.
- 07 Nov 2005 Sony MP3 Walkman Sony has released its new MP3 Walkman which it calls the 'most stylish and sophisticated digital audio player' ever.
- 07 Nov 2005 New logo for HDTV A new logo has been unveiled to help consumers identify bona fide high-definition televison (HDTV) receivers.
- 03 Nov 2005 Driven mad by parking Which? is calling on the government to sort out Britain's parking problems after our research found many motorists feel bamboozled by the current system.
- 03 Nov 2005 Internet bargains Shoppers can cut the price of some goods by a quarter if they buy them online rather than on the high street.
- 02 Nov 2005 eBay fraud gang jailed The mastermind behind a gang of fraudsters who conned eBay users out of almost GBP 200,000 has been jailed for four years.
- 02 Nov 2005 Fitness club fees gaffe A health and fitness club helped itself to more than GBP 10 million of its members' cash when a new computer system wiped out the decimal point in all the direct debits.
- 01 Nov 2005 Hi-tech bargains Lesser-known online stores often provide better deals on hi-tech goods than their big-name rivals, says a new survey from Computing Which?.
- 01 Nov 2005 Internet fraud warning Fraud experts have warned internet shoppers to be extra vigilant after three people were jailed for conning thousands of customers of the online auction site eBay.
- 31 Oct 2005 Tighter silent call rules Companies that consistently plague homeowners with nuisance silent calls are to face fines of up to GPB 50,000 under new plans announced by the government today.
- 28 Oct 2005 Honouring Sheila McKechnie Top politicians and journalists are backing new awards to highlight the next generation of campaigners who strive to improve the lives of ordinary people in Britain and particularly those denied a voice.
- 27 Oct 2005 Protect yourself online Millions of computer users are at risk of internet fraud because they don't know how to protect themselves online, says a government survey.
- 27 Oct 2005 TV on demand A set-top box to be launched next year will be a gateway to thousands of hours of archived TV programmes and films.
- 25 Oct 2005 Southern water payout A water company could be facing a multi-million pound payout over irregularities in the handling and reporting of its customer enquiries and complaints.
- 25 Oct 2005 Drug side effects A UK-wide pilot scheme allowing people to report suspected medicine side effects directly to the health watchdog has been welcomed by Which?.
- 25 Oct 2005 iPod in court? Entertainment giant Apple is facing a US lawsuit over alleged problems with the recently launched iPod Nano.
- 24 Oct 2005 Water shortage warning Despite the wet weather, water shortages are an 'increasingly serious issue' which can't be solved by building more reservoirs, says a new group set up to protect Britain's dwindling supply.
- 21 Oct 2005 Motorway breakdowns There were over 90,000 accidents or near misses on motorway hard shoulders last year because drivers still don't know what to do when they break down, according to a new survey.
- 21 Oct 2005 Guide for simple bills New guidelines have been introduced which aim to make it easier for consumers to understand their household bills.
- 20 Oct 2005 Laptop batteries recalled Hewlett-Packard (HP) has recalled 135,000 laptop battery packs amid fears they could catch fire.
- 18 Oct 2005 Import tax for online shoppers Online shoppers buying bargains from abroad have been warned they could be fined and have the goods seized if they try to duck import taxes.
- 18 Oct 2005 Retune for freeview If you watch TV through Freeview , you'll have to retune the box on October 18 following a major reshuffle of the channel numbers.
- 17 Oct 2005 Complaining about lawyers News that lawyers will soon cease to handle their own complaints is a great victory for consumers, says Which?.
- 17 Oct 2005 New consumer rights agency Which? has thrown its backing behind calls for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to head up a new super-agency to protect consumers.
- 17 Oct 2005 Widower pension rights Men whose wives died before 2001 may now be entitled to 'widow's benefit' following a landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.
- 14 Oct 2005 Pots of fruit Fruit plants that yield an abundant crop can successfully be grown in pots, according to new trial results from Gardening Which?.
- 13 Oct 2005 Telecom poaching clash Two of the country's largest phone companies are embroiled in a war of words over claims one was using dodgy tactics to poach the other's customers.
- 13 Oct 2005 TV in your hand Computer giant Apple has unveiled the latest gadget which it hopes will take the Christmas market by storm - an iPod that plays videos.
- 12 Oct 2005 Be vigilant over avian flu People are being asked to ring a government helpline to report any large sightings of dead or dying birds amid fears the killer avian flu virus is heading towards the UK.
- 12 Oct 2005 Licence fee to soar? BBC chiefs are under fire over proposals which would see the licence fee soar to almost 180 GBP a year by 2013.
- 10 Oct 2005 How to get More4 Channel 4is launching a new digital television channel on Monday evening (10 October), the first of two channels to go live this autumn.
- 07 Oct 2005 4x4 health warning All 4x4s should come with a health warning to alert buyers to the deadly threat these cars pose to pedestrians.
- 07 Oct 2005 Gardens facing crisis? British gardens are facing "challenging times" according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
- 07 Oct 2005 ASA on digital radio An advert promoting digital radio has been criticised by watchdogs for making misleading claims about its sound quality.
- 06 Oct 2005 Best-loved computers Apple, Dell and Sony are the brands of computer Which? readers are most likely to recommend to a friend.
- 05 Oct 2005 Logo failure Which? has poured scorn on a new logo which claims to allow consumers to buy with confidence.
- 05 Oct 2005 Botox treats sweating The cosmetic treatment Botox may provide welcome relief for people plagued by excessive sweating, says a Which? specialist journal.
- 29 Sep 2005 Water charge grievances Complaints about the cost of water services in England and Wales have soared by more than 150 per cent in the past 18 months, according to an industry watchdog.
- 26 Sep 2005 Counterfeit goods raid Forty thousand smuggled cigarettes and other counterfeit goods have been seized after police and customs officers swooped on markets across Manchester.
- 22 Sep 2005 Bogus prize scams British consumers are losing up to a billion pounds a year to mass-marketing fraudsters whose cons include falsely claiming you've won a prize - but must pay to get it.
- 21 Sep 2005 Crazy frog ringtones The company behind the Crazy Frog ringtone craze has been rapped by a watchdog after parents complained that children were being tricked into running up huge bills.
- 15 Sep 2005 Car servicing kitemark A new scheme has been unveiled which aims to protect motorists from dodgy garages and rogue mechanics.
- 13 Sep 2005 Songs on your mobile Appleand Motorola have announced the world's first mobile phone with iTunes.
- 12 Sep 2005 Spammers convicted British companies who illegally spam consumers' mobile phones with calls and messages have had their own wake-up call from a landmark case in the Irish courts.
- 08 Sep 2005 'Cut petrol tax' call Two motoring organisations are calling on Gordon Brown to tackle rising oil prices by radically changing the way the government collects tax on petrol.
- 06 Sep 2005 Beetle threat to trees Gardeners are being asked to look out for a Chinese, tree-destroying beetle after several were found in the UK.
- 02 Sep 2005 Hardy imports A new study by Gardening Which? has found many exotic plants can weather even a bitingly cold British winter - with the right care.
- 01 Sep 2005 Beat the petrol hikes As fuel prices soar, so does demand for smaller and more economical cars.
- 01 Sep 2005 PlayStation Portable Sony's new portable games console finally went on sale today in the UK as shoppers scrambled to get one.
- 01 Sep 2005 Finance firm help Which? is proposing a pioneering partnership with the financial services industry to restore battered consumer confidence.
- 31 Aug 2005 Net nanny software As the government announces a major crackdown on violent internet pornography, a new Computing Which? study reveals that parental control software is far from foolproof.
- 26 Aug 2005 Pension help Which? is calling on the government to issue immediate advice for those who contracted out of the second state pension following damning new research by the Financial Services Authority.
- 25 Aug 2005 Smoking in your car Smoking in your car can reduce its value by hundreds of pounds and may make it impossible to sell, according to a new survey.
- 22 Aug 2005 Postal charges A major shake up in postal charges means that from next year you'll pay according to the size of a letter or packet as well as its weight.
- 20 Aug 2005 BT Privacy wins approval One BT customer every three seconds is signing up to the phone giant's new service to thwart nuisance calls.
- 19 Aug 2005 Royal Mail adjusts prices A major shake up in postal charges means that from next year you'll pay according to the size of a letter or packet as well as its weight.
- 17 Aug 2005 Contract-out scandal Millions of people could lose out in the latest billion pound pensions scandal to hit the UK, according to new Which? research.
