News in November 2006
- 30 Nov 2006Supermarket Champagne beats big name brandsSupermarket Champagnes from Sainsbury’s and Somerfield have beaten big name brands in the latest taste test carried out by Which?.
- 30 Nov 2006Family restaurants dish up junk food to kidsMany of the UK’s biggest family restaurants are failing to offer healthy food choices to children and parents, a report claims.
- 30 Nov 2006BA planes grounded in radiation scareBritish Airwayshas been swamped with thousands of calls from passengers after revelations that "low levels of radioactive traces" have been found on two of its aircraft at Heathrow airport.
- 30 Nov 2006Getflashing.com under investigationWhich? is alerting readers not to use online retailer Getflashing.com after concerns were raised about the site.
- 29 Nov 2006Motorists still sceptical over road pricingMost motorists don't believe that road pricing will sort out the problem of Britain’s heavily congested roads, a new poll has revealed.
- 29 Nov 2006Passengers too wide for aircraft seatsAir passengers are getting too wide to fit comfortably into some aircraft seats, a new survey has revealed.
- 28 Nov 2006EasyJet to sell 'board first' ticketsPassengers on no-frills airline Easyjet will now have the chance to jump the queue at boarding on flights for a charge of between £2.50-£7.50.
- 28 Nov 2006Cosmetic surgery on creditMore than £5 million will be taken out in personal loans this year to fund cosmetic surgery, a new report claims today.
- 28 Nov 2006MPs demand new safeguards after Farepak collapseThe collapse of Christmas savings firm Farepak has highlighted a ‘serious lack’ of protection for consumers, an influential group of MPs warned today.
- 27 Nov 2006'Ethical' shopping overtakes booze and fagsThe amount spent on ‘ethical’ products in the UK has outstripped sales of beer and cigarettes for the first time, a report out today says.
- 27 Nov 2006iTrip transmitters for iPods legalisedTransmitters that allow iPods and other MP3 players to be played over car stereos and home entertainment systems will become legal from next week.
- 27 Nov 2006NHS cot locator service launchedA new service to find the nearest vacant hospital cot for critically ill and premature babies is launched today.
- 24 Nov 2006 Expert slams 'vile' alternative cancer treatmentsCancer patients should be protected from ‘vile and cynical exploitation’ by the alternative therapy industry, says a leading expert.
- 24 Nov 2006Motorists switch from cars to busesHigh petrol prices and concerns over the environment means more motorists are switching from their cars to buses, it was claimed today.
- 23 Nov 2006Kids bombarded with junk food marketingFood companies are resorting to increasingly sophisticated and underhand marketing to push unhealthy foods to children, a new Which? report reveals.
- 23 Nov 2006EU court blocks cheap online boozeA legal bid to allow online shoppers to buy cut-price cigarettes and alcohol from anywhere in Europe has been thrown out.
- 23 Nov 2006Fire-risk furniture alertFire-risk furniture is being shipped into the UK from Eastern Europe, a watchdog warned today.
- 22 Nov 2006Holidaymakers warned over hidden costsBudget travel companies and airlines are continuing to mislead customers with cheap internet prices, the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has warned.
- 22 Nov 2006Record numbers to shop online this ChristmasRoyal Mailsays it’s ready to deliver a record 100 million online orders in the run-up to Christmas.
- 21 Nov 2006Scambusters target doorstep conmenTrading Standards officers have been given a £1.8 million cash boost to help step up their war against cold-calling conmen who prey on the elderly and vulnerable.
- 21 Nov 2006UK is 'card fraud capital of Europe'The UK is the card fraud capital of Europe with over seven million Britons suffering from credit card scams.
- 21 Nov 2006Frustrated householders admit to flat-pack furyFlat pack furniture may be growing in popularity but many householders blow a fuse trying to put it together.
- 20 Nov 2006Fiat to fix 21,000 carsFrom today, Fiat is writing to around 21,000 UK owners of its popular Grande Punto supermini, advising them to take their car to a local Fiat dealer for a free-of-charge safety modification.
- 20 Nov 2006UK 'fails to tackle Nigerian fraud'Financial scams originating in Nigeria are a ‘large and pressing problem for the UK’ but not enough is being done to tackle them, a new report has warned.
- 20 Nov 2006Govt consults on compulsory water metersMillions of households in England may have to install water meters under proposals being considered by the government.
- 17 Nov 2006Health watchdog facing Alzheimer's challengeThe government's health watchdog is facing a legal challenge over its decision to denyAlzheimer's drugs to tens of thousands of patients.
- 17 Nov 2006Junk food ad ban is 'public health fudge'Which? has called for the government to step in after Ofcom ruled out a 9pm watershed ban on junk food adverts.
- 16 Nov 2006Probe into free-range egg scam claimsThe government is investigating claims that millions of battery farm eggs may have been sold to shoppers as free-range.
- 16 Nov 2006Apple iPod flies into turbulenceThere's confusion over a deal to allow airline passengers to use their iPods through a plane’s in-flight entertainment system.
- 16 Nov 2006Mobile operator 3 boosts broadband offeringPhone company 3 is to launch a new service which it says will enable its mobiles to ‘unleash the true power of broadband internet’.
- 16 Nov 2006Digital TV recorders for FreeviewFreeview branded digital TV recorders in the shops in time for Christmas.
- 15 Nov 2006Flora rapped by advertising watchdogClaims that corn covered in Flora is ‘healthier’ are ‘misleading’
- 15 Nov 2006Burger King drops kids TV adsFast food chain Burger King to stop advertising to kids - Which? says its a step in the right direction.
- 15 Nov 2006Government unveils pension reformsPlans to raise the state pension to 68 for both men and women by 2046 have been unveiled in the Queen’s Speech.
- 15 Nov 2006Crackdown on rogue estate agentsWhich? has welcomed plans to make it easier for consumers to take action against rogue estate agents.
- 15 Nov 2006Govt to shake up legal professionPlans to radically overhaul the monitoring of the legal profession must not be ‘watered down’, Which? has urged.
- 14 Nov 2006Eurostar moves to St Pancras from November 2007The new £5.8 billion Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) service into London’s St Pancras will begin 12 months from today.
- 14 Nov 2006Microsoft launches Zune to rival iPodSoftware giant Microsoft has launched its long-awaited Zune MP3 player in a challenge to Apple’s domination of the digital music market.
- 14 Nov 2006New time limits for clearing chequesBanks will have to clear cheques faster under new proposals.
- 13 Nov 2006Supermarket shoppers making greener choicesMore supermarket shoppers check packaging to see if it can be recycled.
- 13 Nov 2006UK shoppers could buy duty-free onlineUK shoppers may soon be able to buy cut-price European cigarettes and alcohol over the Internet.
- 13 Nov 2006Ford S-Max is European Car of the YearJournalists from across the continent have voted the Ford S-Max the 2007 European Car of the Year.
- 10 Nov 2006Atlas beats sat-nav in race from A to BThe good old-fashioned road atlas beats modern technology in getting motorists from A to B, a Computing Which? test found.
- 10 Nov 2006Vodafone joins broadband battleMobile phone giant Vodafone has unveiled details of its £25-a-month 'Vodafone at Home' broadband service.
- 10 Nov 2006PlayStation 3 launches in JapanSony's much delayed PlayStation 3 (PS3) finally goes on sale in Japan tomorrow ahead of a UK launch in the spring.
- 09 Nov 2006Vista to hit stores in JanuaryMicrosoft’s long-awaited Windows Vista will be in stores from 30 January, the software giant has announced.
- 09 Nov 2006Airline to allow mobile use on planesPassengers flying with Dubai-based airline Emirates will be able to use their mobile phones on board from January.
- 09 Nov 2006Starbucks fined over mouse droppingsCoffee giant Starbucks has been fined £12,000 after one of its London branches was found infested with mice.
- 09 Nov 2006PC World overcharged for repairsStaff at some branches of PC World failed to diagnose basic computer problems and overcharged consumers for easy repairs as a result, Computing Which? says today.
- 08 Nov 2006McDonald's to cut dangerous trans fatsFast food giant McDonald's is to cut the amount of dangerous trans fats in products sold in the UK.
- 08 Nov 2006Capital One slammed over credit card chequesCapital Onehas been reprimanded for sending customers more than a million pre-written credit card cheques last year.
- 08 Nov 2006Ryanair TV ad rapped for '£0' fare that wasn'tRyanairhas been caught promoting flight prices without including taxes and charges - again.
- 08 Nov 2006HBOS donates to Farepak fundThousands of victims of failed hamper savings scheme Farepak have been thrown a lifeline after a fund was set up to rescue their Christmas.
- 07 Nov 2006Passengers to sue Ryanair over missed flightsRyanairpassengers who missed their flights because of long airport queues are taking legal action after the airline made them forfeit their tickets.
- 07 Nov 2006Phishing scams on the rise
- 07 Nov 2006Scottish restaurant scores go on displayDiners in Scotland can now see the results of inspections at their local restaurant or takeaway, following a successful Which? hygiene scores campaign.
- 06 Nov 2006Tour operators missing out on singles marketHoliday companies are missing a golden opportunity by failing to tap into a growing singles market, a new report reveals.
- 06 Nov 2006New rules on flight liquidsThe ban on carrying liquids in hand luggage has been relaxed at all UK and EU airports.
- 03 Nov 2006Customers sick of soaring energy billsHouseholders are becoming increasingly fed up with energy suppliers due to a soaring prices, a new survey has found.
- 03 Nov 2006Carphone Warehouse facing 'silent calls' fineCarphone Warehouse may have to pay out thousands of pounds after coming under fire from the telecoms regulator for making silent calls.
- 03 Nov 2006Asbestos found in barbecuesHomebase has withdrawn hundreds of barbecues after they were found to contain asbestos.
- 02 Nov 2006Which? reveals supermarket finance deals to avoidSome supermarket financial products are at best average and at worst distinctly bad value, says Which? today.
- 02 Nov 2006Shocking secrets of dirty hospital kitchensToday Which? reveals the dirty hospital kitchens infested by cockroaches and mice.
- 02 Nov 2006Save hundreds by shopping onlineShoppers seeking electrical goods can save hundreds of pounds by shopping on the internet, Which? Online research shows.
- 02 Nov 2006Cereal bars packed with sugarMany ‘healthy’ cereal bars are packed with sugar and saturated fat, Which? reveals today.
- 01 Nov 2006Isas to stay after 2010The government has announced that tax-free individual savings accounts (Isas) are to be made a ‘permanent feature of the savings landscape’.
- 01 Nov 2006Watchdog backs Rice Krispies adA complaint from Which? that a Kellogg’s Rice Krispies TV advert was exaggerating the cereal's healthiness has been rejected by the advertising watchdog.
- 01 Nov 2006Public don't trust finance industry on pensionsConsumers don't trust the financial services industry to a run low-cost retirement savings scheme in their best interest, Which? can reveal today.
- 01 Nov 2006Abbey lends five times your salaryAbbeyis raising the amount it will lend for a mortgage to five times a salary to help people get a foot on property ladder.
