News in March 2007
- 31 Mar 2007ITV and Setanta win FA Cup rightsITV and Setanta have secured a new £425 million deal to screen FA Cup and England home football internationals.
- 31 Mar 2007Driving licence fee to riseDrivers are facing a series of registration and licence fee rises.
- 30 Mar 2007Channel 4 leading new digital radio bidChannel 4 is leading a consortium which plans to launch 10 new digital radio stations, it has been announced.
- 30 Mar 2007OFT launches wider study into bank chargesA much anticipated crackdown on bank charges has been delayed after the government announced an in-depth study into the issue.
- 30 Mar 2007Which? arms parents against junk food marketingWhich? is empowering parents in the fight against junk food with the launch of a new Kids’ Food Campaign Toolkit.
- 30 Mar 2007Millions caught in credit card heistHackers stole the bank card details of millions of British and American shoppers in what is thought to be the world's biggest credit card heist, it has been revealed.
- 30 Mar 2007Probe to examine 999 web callsCustomers making phone calls over the internet cannot always get through to 999 numbers, according to the telecoms regulator.
- 30 Mar 2007BAA faces airport ownership probeBAA's ownership of London's main airports was under threat today after the operator was referred for a full-blown competition inquiry.
- 30 Mar 2007BBC announces mobile TV trialThe BBC has joined forces with Orange, Vodafone and 3 to offer TV and radio shows on 3G mobile phones.
- 29 Mar 2007Scientists unveil asthma breakthroughA potential breakthrough treatment for asthma sufferers has been unveiled by British scientists.
- 29 Mar 2007Minister announces Blue Badge scheme reformsParents whose toddlers rely on bulky medical equipment may soon be able to apply for disabled parking badges.
- 29 Mar 2007MPs say simplicity crucial for new pensions schemeSimplicity and low charges are crucial if plans for a new pension scheme are to succeed, MPs warned today.
- 28 Mar 2007Fattening foods should come in smaller portionsSmaller size packs of chocolate, crisps and other foods should be encouraged to help people eat more healthily, according to the official food watchdog.
- 28 Mar 2007Drivers can't identify fake documentsMore than half of motorists cannot tell a genuine vehicle registration certificate from a fake one, it was revealed today.
- 28 Mar 2007Women behind growth in off roadersThe growth of ‘Chelsea tractor’ 4x4 vehicles is being fuelled by women, it was revealed today.
- 28 Mar 2007Ticket touts could face government clampdownTicket touts could face a legal crackdown if voluntary agreements with the music and promotion industry do not work, the government has confirmed.
- 28 Mar 2007Boots announces pharmacy rebrandAlliance Boots has unveiled a £65 million re-brand of its UK pharmacies.
- 27 Mar 2007Co-op makes energy savings goods pledgeA bid to encourage more consumers to use energy-efficient light bulbs and domestic appliances is being launched today by a leading supermarket.
- 27 Mar 2007Volunteers to test new Heathrow terminalThousands of people will act as passengers to test out a new £4.3 billion terminal which will open at the UK's biggest airport in exactly one year's time.
- 27 Mar 2007Thousands caught using mobiles at the wheelMore than 246 drivers a day have been fined for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving since laws were toughened one month ago.
- 27 Mar 2007Rules to be tightened for TV quizzesTV phone-in quiz shows could face prosecution if they are found to be operating effectively as lotteries, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has indicated.
- 27 Mar 2007Super-expensive cherries on sale at TescoSuper-expensive early cherries are going on sale at Britain's biggest supermarket chain.
- 27 Mar 2007Ofcom cuts mobile connection chargesTelecoms regulator Ofcom is forcing mobile phone companies to cut the amount they charge other networks for connecting a call.
- 26 Mar 2007Postcode lottery for NHS dental careThere are huge regional variations in the availability of NHS dental care in England, according to new Which? research.
- 26 Mar 2007Millions fall victim to online fraudAlmost 3.5 million people fell victim to internet fraud over the last year according to the latest research by the government and industry online safety campaign, Get Safe Online.
- 26 Mar 2007Songbirds shun UK gardensFewer songbirds visited UK gardens during the 2007 winter - and blackbirds, song thrushes and robins were at their lowest levels for five years, according to a major survey.
- 26 Mar 2007Concern over endoscopy waiting timesSome patients are having to wait more than a year for a routine endoscopy, the health watchdog said today.
- 26 Mar 2007Which? and Yahoo! give consumers the answersWhich? is to sponsor the consumer electronics category on search website Yahoo! Answers.
- 23 Mar 2007Over one million potholes on British roadsLocal authority road maintenance teams are now having to fill in more than a million potholes a year, it was revealed today.
- 23 Mar 2007Customers urged to reclaim unfair bank chargesNearly two thirds of bank customers stung by unfair overdraft charges have yet to reclaim their money, new Which? research reveals.
- 23 Mar 2007Media giants take on YouTubeTwo media giants are joining forces to distribute full-length TV shows and other video over the Internet.
- 23 Mar 2007Doorbells can 'aid car thieves'Car thieves are using doorbells to help them target luxury vehicles, police chiefs warned today.
- 23 Mar 2007Health survey highlights problems of over-65sAlmost two thirds of people aged 65 and over suffer high blood pressure and many have arthritis, according to figures published today.
- 23 Mar 2007Sales of new PlayStation 'brisk'Stores have reported brisk sales of the new PlayStation 3 (PS3) following its official UK launch at midnight.
- 22 Mar 2007Cafe culture boosting coffee maker salesBritain's flourishing cafe culture has prompted rising sales of coffee makers for the home, figures out today show.
- 22 Mar 2007Apple TV goes on saleApple has begun selling its new set-top box which allows people to watch films they have downloaded from the internet on their home TV.
- 22 Mar 2007UK set to agee new transatlantic flights dealBritain is expected to agree today to an air travel deal which will open up transatlantic routes and potentially push down ticket prices.
- 22 Mar 2007Watchdog announces TV phone-in probeThe use of premium rate phone lines on TV shows is to be probed by broadcast regulator Ofcom.
- 21 Mar 2007Chancellor hits gas-guzzling carsChancellor Gordon Brown has announced hard-hitting tax measures for drivers of so-called ‘gas-guzzling’ cars.
- 21 Mar 2007Rail passengers 'getting a free ride'Some rail passengers are getting a ‘free ride’ due to a lack of station ticket-buying facilities and no inspectors on trains, a report from a customer watchdog said today.
- 21 Mar 2007Motorists making greener choicesCar buyers are turning green, with the number of people buying vehicles on environmental grounds trebling in the last 12 months, it was revealed today.
- 21 Mar 2007Shoppers need to buy wider range of fishShoppers must buy a greater range of fish to take the pressure off the most heavily-exploited species, a conservation group said today.
- 21 Mar 2007Games fans start queuing for PS3Games fans will start queuing in London today prior to the UK launch of the new Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3).
- 20 Mar 2007Supermarket to phase out battery eggsSainsbury's today pledged to phase out battery eggs by 2012.
- 20 Mar 2007Salt consumption dropping but still too highSalt consumption in Britain has dropped but is still on average 50 per cent higher than the recommended amount, new research reveals.
- 20 Mar 2007Eco-friendly Sky boxes to turn themselves offConsumers can cut their household energy bills with the introduction of a new feature that will automatically switch inactive Sky HD and Sky boxes into standby mode overnight.
- 20 Mar 2007Ofcom to probe pay-TV marketBroadcast regulator Ofcom is to launch an investigation into the pay-TV market following the public row between BSkyB and Virgin Media.
- 20 Mar 2007'Shameful' parking fees make hospitals £95mNHS Trusts raised almost £100 million from car parking fees last year despite calls from MPs and campaigners for charges to be cut back, according to new figures revealed today.
- 20 Mar 2007Call for green labels on electronic goodsA new report has found that shoppers are in the dark about the energy used by TVs and other electrical goods.
- 19 Mar 2007Greater risk of death in collision with modern carThe sheer bulk of modern cars has actually resulted in greater risk of death to drivers of older models in two-vehicle collisions, according to a Government-commissioned report.
- 19 Mar 2007Study links computer games with real life crashesComputer games featuring the thrills and spills of car racing could be contributing to the cause of real-life road accidents, a study suggests.
- 19 Mar 2007Sprouts binned from national 'shopping basket'Broccoli and recordable DVDs are edging Brussels sprouts and blank video tapes out of the average British shopping basket, data out today shows.
- 19 Mar 2007Which? calls for protection of informationWhich? has strongly criticised proposed changes to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that would make it much harder for campaigning organisations to request information from government bodies.
- 17 Mar 2007Cost of mobile calls in Europe could be cappedThe cost of making mobile phone calls across Europe looks set to be capped at less than 35p a minute.
- 17 Mar 2007Google to make data anonymousGoogle is to anonymise personal data it collects when people use the internet search engine.
- 16 Mar 2007Diabetes in young children on the riseThe number of very young children with Type 1 diabetes has risen dramatically in 20 years, according to research out today.
- 16 Mar 2007'Unfair treatment' of PPI customersA significant number of consumers with payment protection insurance (PPI) were not treated fairly when purchasing the product, according to the City watchdog.
- 16 Mar 2007Shoppers developing taste for gameShoppers are developing a taste for meat such as venison, pheasant and grouse, a report out today says.
- 16 Mar 2007Sales of latest 'superfood' soarPomegranates are the latest fruit to enjoy a sales surge after being dubbed a 'superfood', a retailer said today.
- 16 Mar 2007'Ethical' babies cost £700 more in first yearParents who make 'ethical' purchases for their youngsters spend an extra £700 in a baby's first year, research out today shows.
- 16 Mar 2007Supermarkets hold back on fuel price hikeSupermarkets may well have 'held back' from big hikes in fuel prices to restore confidence following the petrol contamination crisis, it was revealed today.
- 15 Mar 2007No need for hospital mobile phone banThere is 'no reason' why NHS trusts should ban the use of mobile phones in hospitals, the government has said.
- 15 Mar 2007More than half of TVs can't get digital signalMore than half the TV sets owned in the UK are not compatible with the digital signal, latest data shows.
- 15 Mar 2007Underground mobile coverage plans delayedPlans that would allow mobile phones to be used in London Underground tunnels have been put back at least a year, it was announced today.
- 15 Mar 2007Drivers admit being distracted at the wheelNearly three in five drivers admit to driving while distracted, a poll out today revealed.
- 15 Mar 2007Fruit juices help fight chronic diseasePurple grape juice contains the most disease fighting chemicals of all the fruit juices, according to scientists.
- 15 Mar 2007Drivers clock up excess shopping milesMotorists needlessly drive an average 2.4 miles per week to buy basic groceries, research shows today.
- 15 Mar 2007First digital switchover date setThe exact date of the UK's first digital switchover was revealed today.
- 14 Mar 2007Ban on gambling adverts to be liftedCasinos, betting shops and online gambling sites will be able to advertise on television under new rules announced today.
- 14 Mar 2007Card fraud losses continue to fallCredit and debit card fraud is falling in the UK but criminals are continuing to try to empty people’s accounts by avoiding transactions that use chip and Pin technology, new figures out today reveal.
- 14 Mar 2007Superbug screening 'would reduce deaths'Screening people for MRSA before they have a hospital operation would make a 'significant difference' to the numbers dying from the superbug, experts have said.
- 14 Mar 2007Broadcaster axes TV quiz channelITV has announced it is to scrap its TV quiz channel ITV Play.
- 14 Mar 2007Car ad misled viewers over Bond filmA Ford Focus commercial was criticised today for wrongly implying the car appeared in Casino Royale.
- 14 Mar 2007Banks dumped personal details in binsA string of high street banks and the Post Office broke data protection rules by dumping customers' personal details in outdoor bins.
- 13 Mar 2007Cruise holidays double in popularityThe number of Britons taking ocean cruise holidays has doubled in a decade, it was revealed today.
- 13 Mar 2007Ticket firm goes out of businessThousands of music fans have been left out of pocket and without concert tickets after an agency went out of business.
- 13 Mar 2007Which? takes JJB Sports to courtWhich? has issued proceedings against JJB Sports to sue the high street retailer for damages on behalf of consumers.
- 13 Mar 2007New £20 note hits the streetsThe UK's most common banknote was today set for a relaunch as newly-designed £20 notes hit the streets for the first time since 1999.
- 13 Mar 2007Tesco chief predicts green buying revolutionThe UK is on the brink of a revolution in "green" consumption, according to the head of Britain's largest supermarket chain.
- 13 Mar 2007Rival airlines unite against 'open skies' dealArch rivals British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will today join forces to tell MPs of their opposition to a so-called ‘open skies’ EU-US deal.
- 13 Mar 2007People still confused over digital radioMore than a third of Which? members who own a DAB digital radio don't know it can receive more stations than an analogue radio, according to a survey from Which? Online.
- 12 Mar 2007Boots offer osteoporosis test in storesAn in-store test for early signs of osteoporosis was launched today.
- 12 Mar 2007New study says office workers at risk of DVTOffice workers glued to computer screens are at greater risk of deadly blood clots forming in their legs than long-haul air travellers, a New Zealand study on thrombosis said today.
- 12 Mar 2007Water damage costing homeowners billionsBritons pay more than £1.8 billion per year to repair the damage caused by leaking water in their homes, according to research out today.
- 12 Mar 2007Current TV launches in the UKFormer US Vice President Al Gore was in London today for the UK launch of Current TV, the first television channel created by and for 18 to 34-year-olds.
- 09 Mar 2007More needs to be done on healthy eating targetsThe government is ‘underachieving’ in its bid to improve public health and encourage healthy eating, Which? says today.
- 09 Mar 2007Television licence to go up by £4The cost of a colour TV licence will increase by £4 next month to £135.50, it has been confirmed.
- 09 Mar 2007Watchdog rejects lung cancer drugCharities reacted with disappointment today after the health watchdog said it would not be recommending a lung cancer drug for use on the NHS.
- 09 Mar 2007Five now embroiled in phone quiz rowThe TV phone quiz scandal has deepened, with broadcaster Five admitting some of its competition winners were faked.
- 09 Mar 2007Cold remedies could become prescription onlySome common cold remedies may be made prescription-only medicines because of fears they could be used to help manufacture a dangerous and highly addictive Class A drug.
- 08 Mar 2007Broadband satisfaction continues to fallSatisfaction with broadband suppliers is continuing to plummet according to a survey by Computing Which?.
- 08 Mar 2007Computing Which? gives its verdict on VistaConsumers shouldn't rush out and replace Windows XP with Microsoft Vista just yet, according to Computing Which?.
- 08 Mar 2007Chinese restaurant fined over food poisoningOwners of a Chinese restaurant which was inspected after a group of police officers and dozens of other people fell ill with suspected food poisoning face fines and costs of more than £50,000.
- 08 Mar 2007Ikea to sell flat-pack propertiesScandinavian retailer Ikea is branching out by selling flat-pack houses.
- 08 Mar 2007Post office closures will hit communitiesPlans to close 2,500 post offices will 'significantly' affect local communities, especially hitting pensioners and disabled people, a new report warned today.
- 08 Mar 2007TV phone quizzes 'may be licensed'Television phone quizzes may have to be licensed to end a 'pretty grim mess' of viewer rip-offs, the head of a watchdog said today ahead of crisis talks.
- 07 Mar 2007MPs to probe 'free' bankingWhich? has welcomed news that the future of 'free' banking is to be investigated by a high-level committee of MPs.
- 07 Mar 2007MP criticises 'extortionate' clamping feesNew measures are needed to stop car clamping firms charging 'extortionate' fees, MPs have been told.
- 07 Mar 2007Tesco launches dieting online for menThe number of men subscribing to an online dieting site has doubled in six months, figures showed today.
- 07 Mar 2007Which? helps thousands take on banksNew figures out today show that more and more people are using Which? to help claw back unfair bank charges.
- 07 Mar 2007Doctors advise prospective parents to lose weightLosing weight could be one of the most important ways to prepare for parenthood, according to health experts.
- 06 Mar 2007British Gas scraps £5 late payment chargeBritish Gas has staged a u-turn over controversial plans to hit customers with a £5 late payment penalty.
- 06 Mar 2007Train travel often the costliest optionTrains are often the most expensive way to travel around the UK, Holiday Which? warns today.
- 06 Mar 2007'DIY' holidays not covered by ATOLHolidaymakers who organise their own ‘DIY’ trips should realise they aren't necessarily covered if their tour operator goes bust, according to Holiday Which?.
- 06 Mar 2007Tesco petrol 'back to normal'Supermarket giant Tesco said today that its petrol was back to normal following the faulty fuel scare.
- 06 Mar 2007ITV suspends premium rate servicesITV is suspending all premium rate interactive services across its channels following the row over TV phone-ins.
- 06 Mar 2007Virgin threatens court action over Sky rowVirgin Media has said it will take BSkyB to the high court if its dispute over the carriage of Sky channels on its service is not resolved within 30 days.
- 05 Mar 2007Tesco upped fruit prices before special offerSome products in Tesco's "half-price Fruit & Veg Pledge" rose sharply in price just weeks before they were put on offer, it has been revealed.
- 05 Mar 2007All schoolchildren to have home computersA government taskforce is being created to ensure all schoolchildren are given access to computers at home.
- 05 Mar 2007Bailiff break-in threat over credit card debtsBailiffs could soon break into homes to seize belongings simply to enforce credit card debts, a charity warned today.
- 02 Mar 2007Predicted diabetes rise may be much greaterForecasts of soaring rates of diabetes in the next two decades may be wildly underestimated, a new study suggests.
- 02 Mar 2007BT bill charge slated as 'financial blackmail'A group of MPs have accused BT of 'financial blackmail' for charging customers who choose not to pay their bills by direct debit.
- 02 Mar 2007TV giants could face action over channel rowVirgin Media and Sky could face a ‘supercomplaint’ following a row between the two media companies which has left hundreds of thousands of customers without their favourite channels.
- 02 Mar 2007Prescription charges to go upPrescription charges are to rise by 20p on 1 April, Health Minister Rosie Winterton disclosed today.
- 02 Mar 2007B&Q says water butt sales soaringSales of water butts are booming as consumers take advantage of heavy winter rainfall to save supplies, a leading home improvement and garden retailer said today.
- 01 Mar 2007Waitrose is king of virtual supermarketsWaitrose.comand Ocado are the nation’s favourite online supermarkets according to a new survey from Which? Online.
- 01 Mar 2007Scottish and Southern to cut energy billsPower giant Scottish and Southern Energy today became the second company this week to slash gas and electricity bills.
- 01 Mar 2007Consumer concern over meat labelling reviewFour out of five people would be concerned if ingredients added to meat products were less prominently labelled, new Which? research reveals.
- 01 Mar 2007Blank screens for cable customers over rowHundreds of thousands of cable television customers woke up to blank screens on some of their favourite channels today after the deadline passed in a row between Sky and Virgin Media.
- 01 Mar 2007M&S holds off Sainsbury's bidHigh street chain Marks & Spencer has scotched speculation it is planning to make an offer for the Sainsbury supermarket group.
- 01 Mar 2007Inquiry into 'contaminated petrol' mysteryAn investigation has been launched by Trading Standards Officers (TSOs) after thousands of motorists claimed they had been sold contaminated fuel.
