News in February 2006
- 28 Feb 2006Duty totals riseThe value of goods that you can bring into the country from outside the EU without having to pay duty may rise, thanks to a new proposal.
- 28 Feb 2006Child obesityToday's children risk dying younger than their parents if the government doesn't do more to tackle the problem of obesity in youngsters, a new report warns.
- 27 Feb 20064x4 drivers tax warningMotorists drive gas-guzzling 4x4 cars may be hit with higher taxes because of the environmental damage caused by the cars' high emmissions.
- 27 Feb 2006Consumers mistrust over pensionsOnly one in nine people would trust the financial services industry to look after their pension pot, according to new research from Which?.
- 27 Feb 2006Pure launches Evoke-3Pure's Evoke-3, which costs about GBP 200, allows listeners to pause and rewind live DAB digital radio for up to 30 minutes and record multiple tracks or complete radio programmes to a memory card.
- 27 Feb 2006Post Office plan would leave pensioners 'stranded'MPs have warned that pensioners will be 'stranded' by government plans to remove support for the Post Office card account.
- 25 Feb 2006More fraud protection needed on eBayInternet auction site eBay should be doing more to shield its customers from the growing threat of fraud, according to Computing Which?.
- 24 Feb 2006Chevrolet safety worriesConcerns have been raised over the crash safety of two new cars.
- 24 Feb 2006Chevrolet and Kia come in for car safety criticismConcerns have been raised over the crash safety of two new cars.
- 23 Feb 2006Waiting list for radiotherapyMore than half of cancer patients needing radiotherapy to treat the disease are waiting longer than the recommended four weeks to get it.
- 23 Feb 2006Delayed flightsMore than 10 per cent of holiday charter flights using UK airports were at least an hour late last summer, according to figures published today.
- 23 Feb 2006Radiotherapy waiting timesMore than half of cancer patients needing radiotherapy to treat the disease are waiting longer than the recommended four weeks to get it.
- 23 Feb 2006Charter flight problemsMore than 10 per cent of holiday charter flights using UK airports were at least an hour late last summer, according to figures published today.
- 22 Feb 2006ASA raps Asda over price comparisonAn advert which claimed a basket of shopping from Asda was GBP 10 cheaper than a similar basket from Morrisons was misleading, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said today.
- 22 Feb 2006Water bills: big rise in AprilWater bills across England and Wales are to rise by 5.5 per cent - three times the rate of inflation - from April this year.
- 21 Feb 2006Kids ad deemed 'irresponsible'Which? has reported an 'irresponsible' TV advert for Kellogg's Coco Pops Straws to advertising watchdogs today.
- 21 Feb 2006Calls to keep superbug at bayAbout one in ten patients get an infection during their stay in hospital, a new report claims.
- 21 Feb 2006Warning over satellite navigationSatellite navigation (sat nav) systems can distract drivers and may increase the risk of accidents, according to a new survey.
- 20 Feb 2006Pollutants in fishThe Food Standards Agency (FSA) is urging consumers to eat more fish after two new surveys revealed that levels of pollutants such as dioxins found in fish are continuing to fall.
- 20 Feb 2006Flu virus plansA top vet claims that Britain has 'very good' contingency plans to deal with an outbreak of deadly bird flu.
- 20 Feb 2006Tributes for campaignerTributes have been paid following the death of a campaigner who worked tirelessly to make products safer for UK consumers.
- 17 Feb 2006Cashpoint chargesThe government and the banking industry have been accused of 'passing the buck' over cash machine charges.
- 17 Feb 2006Gas prices riseBritish Gascustomers have been hit by a 22 per cent increase in their fuel bills on what is being described as the 'bleakest day yet' for energy users.
- 17 Feb 2006Acupressure treamentAn alternative therapy appears to be more effective than conventional treatments in reducing lower back pain, according to a new study.
- 16 Feb 2006Hospital criticised over parkingA hospital highlighted by Which? for its parking charges has earned GBP 1.2 million from such fees since it opened three years ago.
- 16 Feb 2006Standardised energy comparisonsWhich? is backing a new code that will help consumers get the best deals on energy prices.
- 16 Feb 2006Mouse curryA heavily pregnant woman tucking into an Asda curry was horrified to find a mouse head staring back up at her, it's reported today.
- 16 Feb 2006Road sign overloadDrivers are in danger of crashing because they're overwhelmed by the increasing number of confusing road signs, according to the RAC Foundation.
- 15 Feb 2006Live TV and radio for phonesBT, Virgin and Microsoft have joined together to launch Europe's first live TV and radio service for mobile phones.
- 15 Feb 2006Supermarkets threaten small businessesPredatory supermarkets and large chains could drive many small shops out of business over the next decade, MPs are warning.
- 15 Feb 2006Homebuyers forced to change adA property-buying company exposed by Which? for charging over the odds for surveys has been rapped by advertising watchdogs.
- 15 Feb 2006Family of 'debt suicide' man blames HalifaxIan Beech, 47, is thought to have drunk a bottle of whisky with painkillers before walking into the sea. His body was found on a beach last Wednesday - the same day that bailiffs from Halifax were due to evict the family from their Norfolk home.
- 14 Feb 2006Pin day: advice from Which?Nearly half of credit and debit cardholders are playing into the hands of fraudsters by writing down their Pin numbers, a new survey reveals.
- 14 Feb 2006Currency con for holiday makersNationwideis warning its customers about sneaky foreign charges that are costing British holidaymakers millions of pounds - just weeks after Which? revealed the underhand practice.
- 14 Feb 2006Hard-to-read labellingShoppers are having difficulty reading some food labels because the writing is too small, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
- 13 Feb 2006Record sales onlineBritish shoppers spent a record GBP 8.2 billion online last year - with one in four people now buying goods on the internet.
- 13 Feb 2006Citizens Advice warning over loan scamSteer clear of companies which offer to arrange personal loans but want a fee upfront.
- 10 Feb 2006Royal Mail to pay the penaltyRoyal Mailis facing GBP 11.7 million worth of fines over problems with lost, damaged and stolen post.
- 10 Feb 2006Save money on energyPeople who haven't changed their gas or electricity supplier for ages could be those with most to gain by switching to a cheaper supplier, according to Which?.
- 09 Feb 2006Safer cigarette lightersCigarette lighters are to be made more child-proof - a move that could potentially save dozens of lives each year.
- 09 Feb 2006Industry threat to NPSS plansAverage earners will lose out on more than GBP 15,000 if the financial services industry is allowed to run the proposed national pensions savings scheme (NPSS), according to Which?.
- 09 Feb 2006Confusing labelling schemeFive of the UK's largest food manufacturers will be 'betraying' consumers if they adopt a labelling scheme that will only bamboozle shoppers.
- 08 Feb 2006New iPod NanoApplehas unveiled a smaller iPod Nano which is thinner than a pencil and costs GBP 30 less than the larger model.
- 08 Feb 2006Pin deadline approachingCredit and debit cardholders have been warned that from next week they'll need to know their Pin number to be sure of paying with their chip and Pin cards.
- 07 Feb 2006Ticket site closed downAn online agency which sold concert, sports and theatre tickets at inflated prices has been shut down by the government.
- 06 Feb 2006Bad customer serviceHard-sell marketing, missed appointments, and poor after-sales service have been named as the top gripes among British consumers in a new survey.
- 06 Feb 2006Cost of drugs hinder sufferersCancer patients are being denied vital drugs because they cannot afford the cost of the prescription, according to a damning new report.
- 03 Feb 2006Thomas Cook Airlines pays up for cancelled flightAn airline passenger has won GBP840 in the small claims court after he was refused compensation for a cancelled flight.
- 03 Feb 2006Safe drinking confusion
- 02 Feb 2006Kids' mobiles porn loopholeA Which? investigation has found a loophole in safeguards to stop youngsters using mobile phones to access adult images.
- 02 Feb 2006Big savings on printer inkConsumers can make huge savings by ditching printer companies' ink cartridges in favour of generic ones, Which? research has found.
- 01 Feb 2006OFT launches scam campaignIn an attempt to reduce the number of scams taking place in the UK, the Office of Fair Trading have launched scams awareness month
