News in February 2008
- 29 Feb 2008 Which? publishes Best Buy tyres Choosing the right make of tyre could be the difference between stopping in the wet or careering into another vehicle, Which? warns today.
- 29 Feb 2008 M&S to charge for plastic bags Marks & Spencer (M&S) will charge customers 5p for every food carrier bag given out by its stores, it has announced.
- 29 Feb 2008 Toys to get new warnings about magnets New warnings about magnets will be put on toys following a string of recalls in the UK.
- 29 Feb 2008 Baby robot to 'learn' how to talk Academics in the UK are preparing to teach a 'baby' robot how to talk.
- 29 Feb 2008 News quiz February It's been a busy month in the world of consumer news.
- 29 Feb 2008 New cars and hot deals, 29 February 2008 There are lots of 57-plate pre-registered cars still around, and with the new 08-plate arriving on 1 March – that’s this Saturday – do not be afraid to haggle on these cars.
- 29 Feb 2008 Which? calls for action on nanotechnologies Which? has called on the government to deal with the big implications of nanotechnologies without further delay.
- 28 Feb 2008 Viewers rap BBC for 'too much sport' TV viewers have hit out at the BBC for showing too much sport.
- 28 Feb 2008 Parents pay £6,000 for kids' first home Parents hand over an average of nearly £6,000 to help their children get on to the property ladder, research showed today.
- 28 Feb 2008 Record fine for Microsoft US computer giant Microsoft has been hit with a record £650 million fine by the European Union for fleecing rivals who wanted information to make their software work with Windows.
- 28 Feb 2008 Fraudsters face jail over holiday scam Four fraudsters are facing jail after making millions from the misery of would-be holidaymakers across Britain.
- 28 Feb 2008 Ofcom cracks down on 'unfair' phone charges Phone companies have been warned they could face court action if they sting consumers with unfair extra charges.
- 27 Feb 2008 Holiday scratchcards are sales trick Holiday Which?has exposed tricks being used to lure tourists into signing up for holiday clubs abroad.
- 27 Feb 2008 Which? backs inherited estates inquiry Which? has welcomed news that MPs are to probe the billions of pounds worth of 'inherited estates' held by life assurance companies.
- 27 Feb 2008 New advice issued on protecting your cheques Number of cheques the average person received in 2007
- 27 Feb 2008 Transport Secretary raps First Great Western Rail company First Great Western (FGW) has been ordered to submit a plan to improve its performance after Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly ruled it had breached its franchise conditions.
- 27 Feb 2008 ASA backs Which? over Nutella advert A TV commercial for Nutella chocolate spread has fallen foul of advertising watchdogs for misleading parents about its nutritional benefits.
- 27 Feb 2008 O2 warned over 3G coverage Mobile phonecompany O2 is facing a multi-million pound penalty unless it hits a target to roll out its 3G network across the UK.
- 26 Feb 2008 Nissan Navara scores poorly in crash test Airbag fired late in Navara's crash test
- 26 Feb 2008 Half of UK tyres 'dangerously under-inflated' Millions of UK motorists are putting their life at risk because their tyres are dangerously under-inflated, according to a new study.
- 26 Feb 2008 Warning over climate change in South East Climate change could have a dramatic impact on every area of life in the South East of England from work to health, leisure, gardening, holidays and farming, a booklet published today warned.
- 26 Feb 2008 Borrowers will need to find bigger deposit The UK's second biggest mortgage lender has increased the deposit homeowners need to qualify for its best rates to 25% of a property's value.
- 25 Feb 2008 Charities tackle money advice Two UK charities are teaming up to offer young people advice on how to manage their money.
- 25 Feb 2008 'Strawberry' foods with barely any fruit Some strawberry-flavoured food and drinks contain barely a trace of the fruit, a report out today says.
- 25 Feb 2008 National Grid fined £41.6 million over meters National Grid's share of UK's gas meters
- 23 Feb 2008 Sugar giant switches to Fairtrade Tate & Lyle is converting its sugar to Fairtrade, it announced today.
- 23 Feb 2008 High street travel agents still very popular Despite more people than ever using the internet to book holidays independently, traditional high street travel agents are still an important part of the travel experience for many travellers, says Holiday Which?.
- 22 Feb 2008 Beware the foreign faux pas, says Holiday Which? Tourists can avoid social gaffes when abroad by checking out local customs and traditions before they travel, says a new report from Holiday Which?.
- 22 Feb 2008 Plans to cut flight noise revealed Plans to change the flight paths planes take when operating in and out of major UK airports have been unveiled by air traffic control company Nats.
- 22 Feb 2008 Drivers 'could save £100' with better technique Motorists could save themselves up to £100 each a year by opting for 'eco driving', the RAC said today.
- 22 Feb 2008 Which? highlights Fairtrade food quality As Fairtrade Fortnight kicks off next week Which? asked experts to taste some Fairtrade foods.
- 22 Feb 2008 Big supermarkets increase their hold The battle among big supermarkets in 2007 got even more intense, according to a new report.
- 22 Feb 2008 Government set to tighten road work rules Plans to help reduce disruption caused by street works, including re-assessing workers' competence every five years, have been announced by the government.
- 22 Feb 2008 Energy price probe launched An investigation into the UK's electricity and gas markets has been launched by the regulator in the wake of growing customer concern.
- 22 Feb 2008 New cars and hot deals, 22nd February 2008
- 21 Feb 2008 New parking rules may make appeals harder New parking charge rules could make it more difficult for motorists to appeal an unfair ticket, Which? Legal Service warns today.
- 21 Feb 2008 Your privacy is at risk, warns Which? The amount of personal information shared by companies or available online could be exposing people to a greater risk of being scammed by fraudsters, Which? warns today.
- 21 Feb 2008 Web offers motorists better new car deals Motorists can make substantial savings when buying a new car online, Which? reveals today.
- 21 Feb 2008 BT axes its helpline costs for landline callers BT is scrapping charges for landline callers contacting its consumer service and helpdesk numbers.
- 21 Feb 2008 BA among worst for luggage delays Delays to air passengers' luggage worsened last year, with British Airways (BA) one of the poorest-performing airlines, new figures showed.
- 21 Feb 2008 Price of a pint 'to rise to £4' Current price of a pint in London
- 21 Feb 2008 Government takes £30 billion in stamp duty The government has taken in nearly £31.5 billion in stamp duty in the first ten years since Labour came to power, new research shows.
- 21 Feb 2008 British Airways hikes fuel surcharges New fuel surcharge on longest flights
- 21 Feb 2008 British Gas slammed over huge profits British Gashas come under fire after the residential customer side of its business recorded a rise in profits of 500%.
- 20 Feb 2008 Switch your bank and save hundreds, says Which? People who still have accounts with the ‘big five’ banks could save money and get better customer service by switching to another provider, according to Which? Money.
- 20 Feb 2008 No refunds for HD-DVD customers Toshiba says it doesn't intend to allow people to get refunds on HD-DVD players in the wake of its decision to pull the plug on the beleaguered format.
- 20 Feb 2008 BBC puts programmes on iTunes Hit BBC shows such as Life on Mars and Torchwood are now available to download via Apple’s online store.
- 20 Feb 2008 Eateries 'should serve tap water' Restaurants and cafes should serve tap water to customers as a matter of course, according to a consumer group.
- 20 Feb 2008 TV phone-ins face tougher rules Broadcast regulator Ofcom has unveiled a raft of new measures in a bid to stop consumers being ripped off by premium-rate phone-ins.
- 20 Feb 2008 City watchdog to advise new parents on money The City watchdog is to give special packs to pregnant women offering them advice on managing their finances once their baby arrives.
- 20 Feb 2008 Drivers to get motorway picture warnings Drivers on a busy motorway are to become the first to get digital picture messages on overhead electronic signboards, it has been announced.
- 20 Feb 2008 More salmon withdrawn over taint fears More salmon products have been removed from sale over fears they could be contaminated with white spirit.
- 19 Feb 2008 Toshiba ditches HD-DVD as Blu-Ray triumphs Toshiba has finally conceded defeat in its battle for supremacy of the high-definition DVD market.
- 19 Feb 2008 Charities help digital TV switch Leading UK charities have come together to support a multi-million pound initiative to help older and vulnerable people switch to digital TV.
- 19 Feb 2008 Blu-Ray looks set to win format war Electronics giant Sony is emerging as the likely winner in a format battle for the next generation of DVD players.
- 19 Feb 2008 Cruise poll shows Americans unpopular at sea Didn't want to mix with fellow Britons while at sea
- 19 Feb 2008 Shoppers 'checking web before high street' Many UK shoppers are relying on the internet to seek the best deals, according to a new poll.
- 18 Feb 2008 Steer clear of will-writing scams People have been warned not be conned by adverts and cold calls promising cut-price wills.
- 18 Feb 2008 Diet not vitamins 'better for preventing cancer' People who take vitamin supplements to cut their risk of cancer may be wasting their money, a leading expert has warned.
- 16 Feb 2008 New scam reporting system launched Scam victims can now report crimes straight to the authorities thanks to a new online form.
- 16 Feb 2008 Pensioners urged to claim heating grants Pensioners have been urged to claim government grants of up to £2,700 to help meet the cost of insulating their homes.
- 16 Feb 2008 Supermarkets ombudsman to be appointed An independent ombudsman is set to be appointed to oversee the UK's supermarkets.
- 15 Feb 2008 Evans launches bridal wear in larger sizes A bridal collection with sizes up to a 32 has been launched by a high street chain.
- 15 Feb 2008 New cars and hot deals, 15th February 2008 Beat the queue
- 15 Feb 2008 Identity fraud fears 'growing' More than half the British population now fears identity fraud, according to new research.
- 15 Feb 2008 Cosmetic surgery spending soars in UK The UK spends more on cosmetic surgery than anywhere else in Europe, according to new figures.
- 15 Feb 2008 Air passengers to get payout over price fixing British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are to pay around £100 million to passengers following a US lawsuit brought on behalf of UK and American travellers affected by fuel surcharge price-fixing.
- 14 Feb 2008 Online dating helps many find love, says Which? One in four dating website users have had a long-term relationship with someone they met through a site, a poll by Which? Online has found.
- 14 Feb 2008 Pensions advice service for women launched A pensions advice service has launched a helpline specially for women.
- 14 Feb 2008 Hotel guests win £2.5 million claim More than £2.5 million in compensation is to be paid to hundreds of holidaymakers who fell ill at a Spanish hotel.
- 14 Feb 2008 Phone giants trial mobile TV Orange and T-Mobile are to jointly pilot a 24-channel mobile phone TV service.
- 14 Feb 2008 Car buyers have less to spend, says poll The credit crunch is hitting car buying, with planned purchases plummeting to their lowest point for two years, according to figures out today.
- 14 Feb 2008 Flight bag tracking trial has begun A six-month trial that could revolutionise the way luggage is tracked and monitored at the UK's biggest airport has started.
- 14 Feb 2008 Botched cosmetic ops 'put pressure on GPs' A rise in the number of people undergoing cosmetic surgery is putting pressure on GPs, especially if operations are botched, a poll out today suggests.
- 14 Feb 2008 Morrisons recalls salmon over white spirit scare Morrisons has recalled fresh Scottish salmon due to possible white spirit contamination.
- 14 Feb 2008 Insurers call for tougher planning controls Tougher planning controls are needed if flood insurance is to remain widely available for new homes, an insurance trade body warned today.
- 14 Feb 2008 Text service tells you local doctors and dentists Mobile phoneusers in England will now be able to get details of local NHS services via text message.
- 14 Feb 2008 Ryanair misses 'misleading prices' deadline No-frills airline Ryanair has missed a deadline for removing misleading prices from its website.
- 13 Feb 2008 Illegal downloaders could face internet ban People who illegally download music and films may have their internet access stopped under moves being considered by the government.
- 13 Feb 2008 Cars to get 'anti-crash' technology Some new cars are being fitted with new technology which could make low-speed crashes a thing of the past.
- 13 Feb 2008 GM crops 'increasing pesticide use' Genetically-modified crops are not delivering on the promised benefits of increased yields, reduced pesticide use or tackling world hunger, Friends of the Earth claimed today.
- 13 Feb 2008 Gas guzzlers to pay £25 congestion charge Gas-guzzling vehicles such as 4x4 'Chelsea tractors' will have to pay a daily charge of £25 to enter London's congestion charge zone from October this year, Ken Livingstone has announced.
- 13 Feb 2008 Home CCTV sales rise A growing number of householders are turning to CCTV cameras to keep their homes secure, a retailer said.
- 13 Feb 2008 Noise 'raises blood pressure even in sleep' Intrusive noise such as aircraft, traffic, or a snoring partner, causes blood pressure to rise even as we sleep, new research has shown.
- 13 Feb 2008 NHS to pay out to those wrongly charged for care The NHS will have to pay out at least £180 million to people wrongly charged for nursing care.
- 13 Feb 2008 Budget airlines 'least child friendly' Budget carriers Ryanair and Easyjet have been voted the least child-friendly airlines in a new poll.
- 12 Feb 2008 Jamie Oliver show rapped over product plug Jamie Oliver’s Channel 4 cookery series has been criticised for breaching TV rules after the celebrity chef plugged a product in his own kitchen utensil range.
- 12 Feb 2008 Texts and emails may replace Valentine's cards Texts and emails could gradually be replacing the traditional Valentine's Day card, a new poll suggests.
- 12 Feb 2008 EU warns firms over foreign texts Mobile phonecompanies have been warned they face action if they don't slash the costs of sending text messages or accessing the internet from abroad.
- 12 Feb 2008 Faulty hospital scales 'could risk lives' Inaccurate hospital weighing scales could be putting patients’ lives at risk, trading standards officers (TSOs) have warned.
- 12 Feb 2008 John Lewis trials cheque ban Department store group John Lewis is the latest major high street chain to signal it may phase out cheques as a method of payment.
- 12 Feb 2008 Morrisons to 'sue OFT' Supermarket chain Morrisons is taking legal action against the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) over the naming of the retailer in a dairy price-fixing probe, reports claim.
- 11 Feb 2008 Flyers warned over connecting flight pitfalls Air passengers have been warned they could be left out of pocket if they try to book their own connecting flights.
- 11 Feb 2008 Mac users to get iPlayer in 2008 The BBC has said Apple Mac users will be able to download programmes from its iPlayer on-demand TV service later this year.
- 11 Feb 2008 OFT credit card action falls short, says Which? The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has missed an opportunity to make it easier for consumers to choose the best credit card for them, Which? says today.
- 11 Feb 2008 Radio giant axes two digital stations The UK's largest commercial radio broadcaster, GCap Media, axed two of its stations today after labelling digital radio 'economically unviable'.
- 11 Feb 2008 Pepsi launches 'healthier' cola Soft drinks giant Pepsi has launched a new ‘healthier’ cola made from natural ingredients.
- 09 Feb 2008 New system for health complaints Health officials have unveiled a new system which they say will make it easier for patients to complain when things go wrong.
- 09 Feb 2008 Southern Water fined £20 million Southern Waterhas been fined £20.3 million for poor service and deliberately misreporting information.
- 09 Feb 2008 Britons ignorant of inheritance tax More than half of Britons have no idea what inheritance tax is or what steps they can take to limit the amount they pay, a survey showed today.
- 09 Feb 2008 Ryanair to shut booking system for weekend Budget airline Ryanair is to shut down its entire booking system for a whole weekend later this month.
- 08 Feb 2008 Free directory enquiries launched A free directory enquiries service which plays adverts before giving out numbers was launched today.
- 08 Feb 2008 Eon announces energy price rises Eoncustomers will see bills rise by more than £100 as the company became the fifth supplier to hike prices in the latest round.
- 08 Feb 2008 More homes may be forced to have water meters All homes in the south east of England may be forced to have water meters, according to Environment Secretary Hilary Benn.
- 08 Feb 2008 New cars and hot deals, 8th February 2008
- 07 Feb 2008 Nikon adds to its Coolpix range Nikon has announced seven new models in its Coolpixcompact camerarange.
- 07 Feb 2008 Garmin unveils smartphone Satellite navigation (sat nav) company Garmin is to launch a smartphone later this year.
- 07 Feb 2008 MRSA found on 15% of hospital's curtains The super-bug MRSA has been discovered on 15% of a hospital's curtains, a new medical study has found.
- 07 Feb 2008 Food watchdog to review advice on fish Official advice about eating fish will be reviewed due to environmental concerns, the food watchdog has announced.
- 07 Feb 2008 BBC iPlayer credited with online TV surge The online TV market in the UK is predicted to almost double in 2008 thanks in part to the growing popularity of the BBC iPlayer free catch-up service.
- 07 Feb 2008 Disney and Tesco launch healthier kids' foods Which? has welcomed news that Disney and Tesco have joined forces to launch a range of kids' foods designed to promote healthier eating.
- 06 Feb 2008 Mobiles don't raise tumour risk, says study Mobile phone use does not lead to a greater risk of brain tumours, according to a new study released today.
- 06 Feb 2008 Norwich Union announces £2 billion payout More than a million Norwich Union with-profits policyholders are to share a bonus of £2.1 billion.
- 06 Feb 2008 Joining up debts isn't 'quick fix' solution Sweeping debts into one consolidated loan is not a ‘quick fix’ solution and could be the start of serious financial problems, warns a new Which? essential guide
- 06 Feb 2008 Half of holidaymakers 'anxious' before flight Half of all holidaymakers are anxious about air travel, according to a new poll.
- 06 Feb 2008 Apple launches larger memory iPhone Apple has launched a new version of its iPhone which has double the memory of the original device.
- 06 Feb 2008 Sky predicts 10 million customers by 2010 Satellite broadcaster BSkyB says it’s on track to reach 10 million customers by 2010.
- 06 Feb 2008 We send 5,000 texts a second in UK Nearly 5,000 text messages are sent every second in the UK, according to an industry report out today.
- 06 Feb 2008 Food watchdog calls for saturated fat cut Food firms should cut saturated fat levels and reduce portion sizes to help improve the nation's health, a watchdog has said.
- 05 Feb 2008 No link between MMR and autism, new study says There is no link between the controversial MMR jab and autism, according to the largest ever published study on the issue.
- 05 Feb 2008 New 'Scambuster' teams announced New 'scambuster' teams are to go to war on cowboy builders, cold-call conmen, rogue traders and e-mail swindlers, it has been announced.
- 05 Feb 2008 Thames Water to charge by size of home Thames Waterhas announced a shake-up of the way it charges customers that will see those who live in smaller homes paying less.
- 05 Feb 2008 Utility companies slated over customer service Gas, electricity and telecoms companies have been slated for the poor way they deal with customer problems and complaints.
- 04 Feb 2008 Surgeons report big increase in facelifts Facelifts and other anti-ageing surgical procedures are proving increasingly popular, according to the latest statistics.
- 04 Feb 2008 New digital SLRs unveiled Sony, Canon and Nikon have marked the start of 2008 by unveiling a host of new digital SLRs.
- 04 Feb 2008 Millions listening to internet radio More than eight million people are listening to radio over the internet each week, according to the latest industry figures.
- 04 Feb 2008 Health watchdog raps trusts over target focus The NHS is being urged to learn lessons from inquiries into poor patient care.
- 04 Feb 2008 Egg customers reassured over credit ratings Credit rating agencies have sought to reassure anxious Egg customers that the lender's decision to cancel their credit cards would not affect their credit reports.
- 02 Feb 2008 Asda recalls microwaves Supermarket Asda has recalled around 300,000 of its own brand microwaves over concerns they could overheat and burst into flames.
- 02 Feb 2008 BBC to show Six Nations on iPlayer The Six Nations rugby tournament which starts today will be the first major sporting event to be shown on the BBC iPlayer.
- 02 Feb 2008 Free weekend calls for BT customers BT is changing its call prices in a shake-up that will give customers free weekend calls - but there are also price rises.
- 02 Feb 2008 Scottish Power confirms double-digit price hike Scottish Powerhas became the latest energy supplier to announce inflation-busting price rises.
- 01 Feb 2008 New cars and hot deals, 1st February 2008 C30 savings
- 01 Feb 2008 Watchdog offers text service on call charges You can check premium-rate call costs through a new text messaging service.
- 01 Feb 2008 Broken low energy bulbs dangerous, says minister The government is urging consumers to exercise care when handling broken low energy light bulbs, which contain mercury.
- 01 Feb 2008 Pop goes fizzy drinks market, says report The fizz is going out of soft drinks as consumers opt for more juices and bottled water, a report out today says.
- 01 Feb 2008 Elderly scam victims 'lose twice as much' The plight of elderly victims is being highlighted in Scams Awareness Month, launched today.
- 01 Feb 2008 Speed cameras 'in the wrong place' A blunder has meant that 'yellow vulture' speed cameras set up on a Hampshire motorway cannot be used because they have been put in the wrong place, the Highways Agency admitted.
- 01 Feb 2008 Tax deadline moved after site crash HM Revenue & Customshas extended the deadline for people to complete their self-assessment tax returns following problems with its website.
