News in March 2006
- 31 Mar 2006Hospitals will not copeUK hospitals would not be able to cope to cope with the extra demands of a bird flu pandemic, health experts are warning today.
- 31 Mar 2006Energy pricesEnergy company Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has put up its fuel prices for the second time this year.
- 30 Mar 2006McKechnie awardsA parent who took a leaf out of Jamie Oliver's book to improve local school meals has won the Consumer Action award in the first ever Sheila McKechnie Foundation awards.
- 30 Mar 2006Kids' dietary needsMost childminders and nurseries provide a healthy diet for young children, government inspectors reveal today.
- 29 Mar 2006Phoning from abroadMobile phone companies could be forced to cut their charges for making and receiving calls abroad, under EU plans.
- 29 Mar 2006Trade disappoints consumersHome improvement and repair work causes the most heartache for consumers of any product or service, figures released today show.
- 29 Mar 2006Inspector Home reportPeople who buy brand new homes are getting a raw deal because of increasing numbers of faults, according to a report out today.
- 28 Mar 2006Ofcom's rule changesWhich? has slated proposals to curb the amount of junk food TV ads aimed at kids for not going far enough.
- 28 Mar 2006Parking feesHospital trusts are raking in as much as GBP 1.5 million a year each from patients for car parking, health chiefs have confirmed.
- 28 Mar 2006Worldwide swoop on net scammersThousands of websites are to be scrutinised over the next three days in a worldwide sweep for online scammers.
- 28 Mar 2006Powergen announces gas price riseSix million gas and electricity customers face more heartache after Powergen announced huge hikes to its energy prices.
- 27 Mar 2006No respect for eldersEngland's public services are treating older people as 'second-class citizens', a report by three independent watchdogs has found.
- 27 Mar 2006Detox product investigationThe medicines watchdog has launched an investigation into the marketing of products for detoxing your body.
- 24 Mar 2006Product recallReebokand Ikea have issued product recalls after fears about children's safety.
- 24 Mar 2006Sky HDTVSatellite broadcaster Sky has announced it will launch its high definition TV (HDTV) service in May.
- 24 Mar 2006Sports events in HDTVThe BBC's entire coverage of this summer's World Cup as well as major Wimbledon matches will be broadcast in high-definition TV (HDTV).
- 24 Mar 2006The end of commission selling?Shoppers at PC World will no longer face hard-sell tactics after the company revealed it is to ditch commission-based selling.
- 24 Mar 2006Caribbean cruise ship blazeMore than 60 British holidaymakers are preparing to fly home from Jamaica after surviving a fire aboard the 110,000-tonne Star Princess cruise ship.
- 23 Mar 2006'Unsafe' airlines banned from EuropeNinety-two airlines have been banned from flying to any European Union (EU) country because they're considered unsafe.
- 23 Mar 2006Environmentally friendly TVsChancellor Gordon Brown has announced a series of measures in his budget to help make homes more environmentally friendly.
- 23 Mar 2006New digital radioDualit, famous for its stylish range of toasters and kettles, yesterday entered the world of home entertainment by launching its first digital radio.
- 23 Mar 2006Phones on fireMobile giant O2 is recalling one of its phones over fears it could overheat and burst into flames.
- 23 Mar 2006New screening delayedCash problems in the NHS could delay a new screening programme for bowel cancer, doctors and charities have warned.
- 22 Mar 2006The end of chiropractors?Using an osteopath or chiropractor to ease back pain is less effective than many people believe, new research claims.
- 22 Mar 2006Court rules credit card protection applies abroadShoppers who use their credit cards abroad are entitled to the same level of protection as when they use them in the UK, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
- 22 Mar 2006Royal Mail misses breakfast delivery for millionsEleven million homes across the UK don't get their post before 10 am, according to a survey into the performance of Royal Mail.
- 22 Mar 2006FSA's salt targetsWhich? has welcomed government moves to further cut the amount of salt in food - but we want levels kept under close review.
- 21 Mar 2006BT call cost curbs to be scrappedBTcould soon be able to decide how much to charge customers for phone calls and line rentals under proposals published by the UK telecoms regulator today.
- 21 Mar 2006Hospital performanceA snapshot survey of 265 British hospitals has revealed which are the best at providing care for the over-50s.
- 20 Mar 2006Ignorance at faultWidespread ignorance about prostate cancer is risking thousands of lives, a charity warns today.
- 20 Mar 2006Water companies' standpipe warningWater supplies to thousands of homes across the south-east of England could be switched off this summer if the drought worsens and usage continues at the current rate.
- 17 Mar 2006Summer lawnsProblem lawns can be transformed in time for summer as long as you start soon and use the right tools and the right tricks.
- 17 Mar 2006Soya milk scareMothers with babies who are allergic to dairy products have been warned to be vigilant after a batch of Farley's Soya Formula was found to contain cows' milk.
- 17 Mar 2006Mis-sold mortgage complaintsNearly 1.5 million homeowners have now complained that they were mis-sold endowment mortgages, according to figures obtained by Which?.
- 16 Mar 2006Ryanair begins charging for luggageNo-frills airline Ryanair has started charging people who check in luggage before flights.
- 16 Mar 2006Online price changesSupermarkets have promised to give shoppers clearer information about the prices of their online groceries.
- 16 Mar 2006Which? probes perfume pricesWhich? is investigating concerns over luxury perfume and cosmetic prices in the UK, after 13 of the biggest names in the industry were fined for price-fixing in France.
- 15 Mar 2006Call to reduce energy needsWhich? is joining consumer groups from across the world to highlight the urgent need to tackle the world's energy problems.
- 15 Mar 2006Record high definition TVCable giant Telewest has claimed victory in the race to launch Britain's first nationwide high-definition TV (HDTV) service.
- 15 Mar 2006Sony delays PlayStation 3Electronics giant Sony has announced it's delaying the launch of the eagerly awaited PlayStation 3 (PS3) games console until November.
- 15 Mar 2006Food supplement scareSeven Seas has withdrawn several batches of its food supplements from store shelves after discovering the capsules were contaminated with chemicals linked to cancer.
- 15 Mar 2006Rally for sustainable energyWhich? is joining consumer groups from across the world to highlight the urgent need to tackle the world's energy problems.
- 15 Mar 2006Government 'misled' workers over pensions
- 15 Mar 2006Cash machine fraud fear is rife
- 14 Mar 2006Prescription charge increaseThe cost of an NHS prescription in England is set to rise by 15p to GBP 6.65 from the start of April, the Department of Health (DoH) has announced.
- 14 Mar 2006Heart disease breakthroughMore than 2 million people in the UK have been given fresh hope in their fight against heart disease.
- 14 Mar 2006Remedy cost riseThe cost of an NHS prescription in England is set to rise by 15p to GBP 6.65 from the start of April, the Department of Health (DoH) has announced.
- 14 Mar 2006Cars expensive in UKBritish motorists can make big savings if they buy a new car abroad, according to a new European Commission survey.
- 14 Mar 2006Misleading food labelsWhich? is pushing for a Europe-wide ban on misleading and unproven claims about health benefits on food labels.
- 13 Mar 2006British Gas offers energy-saving rebateNearly a million British households are being offered a GBP 100 rebate on their council tax bill if they install energy-saving measures in their home.
- 13 Mar 2006Hosepipe ban for Thames Water customersBritain's largest water company is to ban customers from using hosepipes and sprinklers amid growing fears that South-East England will be hit by a serious drought.
- 10 Mar 2006Eye scan checks at UK airportsEye scanning technology has been introduced at Britain's busiest airport terminal to allow passengers a fast track through immigration.
- 10 Mar 2006More woe for Npower customersNpower customers face more misery after the company hiked up its prices for the second time this year.
- 10 Mar 2006Consumers urged to join pensions debateWhich? is calling on all consumers to take an active part in shaping the future of Britain's pension system.
- 10 Mar 2006Eye scanningEye scanning technology has been introduced at Britain's busiest airport terminal to allow passengers a fast track through immigration.
- 09 Mar 2006Misleading claimsA row over whether magnets have any proven health benefits is to be decided by the High Court.
- 09 Mar 2006Traffic light labellingWhich? has welcomed today's announcement of a scheme using 'traffic light' colour-coded labels to show the level of fat, salt and sugar in foods.
- 09 Mar 2006Supermarkets investigatedThe 'big four' supermarkets are set to face a probe by the competition watchdog over issues including their land ownership and discounts that hit local stores, it was announced today.
- 09 Mar 2006Cocktail of additivesSome children's foods may contain a cocktail of additives which could have a harmful effect on youngsters' health, new research claims.
- 08 Mar 2006New number for reporting minor crimeA new hotline will be launched this summer for people to report non-emergency crimes such as graffiti and noisy neighbours.
- 08 Mar 2006Fingerprint shoppingSupermarket chain Co-op has introduced new technology which allows customers to pay for their groceries by using a fingerprint.
- 08 Mar 2006Coffee risksScientists have claimed that drinking four cups of coffee a day could massively increase the risk of a heart attack for certain people.
- 07 Mar 2006eBay rulingInternet auction site eBay has been cleared of allowing contact lenses to be sold illegally through its website.
- 07 Mar 2006Service stationsDirty and broken toilets, drab surroundings and food that tastes like cardboard - just some of the delights that await drivers at Britain's motorway service stations.
- 07 Mar 2006Crackdown on store card chargesStore card providers which charge 25 per cent or more in interest will soon have to give 'wealth warnings' to cardholders about their charges - and admit that credit may be cheaper elsewhere.
- 07 Mar 2006Severn Trent Water to refund customersOne of England's largest water companies is to give refunds to customers after a probe found it had tried to overcharge them by GBP 42 million.
- 06 Mar 2006BT to boost broadband speedsBThas announced it is to boost its broadband speeds from next month.
- 06 Mar 2006Biometric passportsThis week will see the UK Passport Service issuing the first biometric passports to passport applicants.
- 06 Mar 2006Healthcare Commission reportTens of thousands of stroke patients aren't getting the specialist care and support they need after leaving hospital, a health watchdog has warned.
- 03 Mar 2006Apple launches the iPod Hi-FiApplehas produced its own portable hi-fi speaker system for its range of iPods.
- 02 Mar 2006Baby food warningsNew Which? research on baby food has uncovered some products with less meat than the label suggests, and others that contain a large dose of sugar.
- 02 Mar 2006Which?'s findings for online floristsWhich? has found big differences in quality and value for money when it comes to ordering flowers online.
- 02 Mar 2006Energy companies are cold calling kingsGas and electricity companies are the chief cold-calling culprits, according to a new survey of Which? members.
- 01 Mar 2006British Gas could lose GBP 1 billionBritish Gasis in danger of losing GBP 1.27bn as customers switch away following the energy giant's huge price rise, Which? warns today.
- 01 Mar 2006Freeview on your laptopThe Freecom DVB-T USB stick, £40 online, is not much larger than a cigarette lighter and designed to bring Freeview TV to your laptop or PC.
- 01 Mar 2006Food labelling confusionThis month the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is due to unveil a labelling scheme that will highlight how much fat, salt and sugar are in foods.
- 01 Mar 2006Atypical scrapieWhich? is demanding answers from the government over whether a recently discovered BSE-type disease in sheep and goats could have implications for people's health.
- 01 Mar 2006Compulsory water meters in KentMillions of families across the south of England could be affected by a landmark ruling allowing a water company to install compulsory water meters.
- 01 Mar 2006Stability controlYou can dramatically cut your chances of having a road accident if your car has stability control.
- 01 Mar 2006Demand for dentistsMost people fear it will be harder to find an NHS dentist in England over the next year, new Which? research has revealed.
- 01 Mar 2006New low-cost locationsOne of the UK's major no-frills carriers is to be the first to fly to Africa.
