News in July 2008
- 31 Jul 2008British Gas announces huge price hikesMillions of households are facing more fuel bill misery after British Gas hiked up gas prices by 35%.
- 31 Jul 2008Tips to be kept from wages potCustomer tips in bars and restaurants will no longer be counted towards the pay of staff to bring them up to the minimum wage, the government announced today.
- 31 Jul 2008Ofcom fines BBC for phone-in fakesThe BBC has been fined £400,000 by media regulator Ofcom for faking winners and misleading audiences in viewer and listener competitions.
- 31 Jul 2008Wedding gift firm Wrapit seeks rescue dealHundreds of couples are still waiting to know the fate of their wedding gifts as present list service Wrapit continues to try and secure a rescue deal.
- 31 Jul 2008Honda prepares to launch new JazzHonda is to launch an all-new Jazz which will go on sale this autumn.
- 31 Jul 2008Norwich Union policyholders get payout offerPayments averaging £1,000 are to be offered to a million policyholders in two of Norwich Union Life's with-profit funds, insurer Aviva has announced.
- 31 Jul 2008Liverpool Victoria Banking fined over PPILiverpool Victoria Banking Services has been fined £840,000 over ‘serious failings’ in the way it sold payment protection insurance (PPI).
- 30 Jul 2008Councils to get more parking fine powersThe government wants to make it easier for councils to fine drivers who block dropped kerbs or double park.
- 30 Jul 2008Hyundai unveils revised Tucson line-upHyundai has revised its Tucson SUV line-up, including the addition of a new two-wheel-drive version.
- 30 Jul 2008We send 1.4 billion texts a weekBritons are now sending 1.4 billion text messages every week, according to latest figures.
- 30 Jul 2008Hips scheme to be expandedThe government has announced plans to increase the amount of information available for potential buyers in its controversial home information packs.
- 29 Jul 2008Drivers admit car servicing confusionNearly one in 10 drivers don't carry out any basic maintenance and safety checks between car services, a new survey has found.
- 29 Jul 2008MPs warn of more fuel price risesHouseholders have been warned to brace themselves for significant rises in electricity and gas bills which will have serious consequences for millions of consumers.
- 29 Jul 2008Google facing a new rival called CuilA new search engine has been launched which aims to rival the global dominance of Google.
- 29 Jul 2008Lemon melon goes on sale todayA new variety of melon that tastes like a lemon is to go on sale in the UK.
- 28 Jul 2008Magicbox launches handheld Touch DABMagicbox has abandoned the traditional retro design common to many DAB digital radios with its latest hand held digital radio.
- 26 Jul 2008Sky to launch music download serviceSky has unveiled a subscription-based music download service to rival Apple’s iTunes online store.
- 26 Jul 2008EDF hikes up fuel billsEnergy company EDF has announced it is hiking up its electricity prices by 17% and its gas prices by 22%.
- 25 Jul 2008ISPs in download piracy clampdownSix of the UK’s large internet service providers (ISPs) have reached a deal with the music industry to clamp down on illegal downloads.
- 25 Jul 2008Spending in shops has plunged as crunch hitsThe biggest fall in retail sales on record has reversed a shock rise in May and suggested a consumer spending slowdown was gathering pace.
- 25 Jul 2008Post offices in shops and pubs 'may shut'Post offices in pubs and shops may be at risk because of inadequate funding, a committee of MPs said today.
- 25 Jul 2008Phishing scams are soaringEmail scams in which fraudsters try to trick people into revealing their bank account details have soared by 180% in the past year, new figures show.
- 25 Jul 2008Sony launches digital book readerSony is the latest company to announce the launch of a digital book reader.
- 25 Jul 2008New cars and hot deals, 25 July 2008
- 24 Jul 2008Mobility aids reps caught using hard sellSome mobility aids companies are targeting vulnerable customers with high-pressure sales tactics, an undercover Which? investigation has found.
- 24 Jul 2008AA tops Which? breakdown services leagueThe AA is top of the Which? annual breakdown services customer satisfaction league, published today.
- 24 Jul 2008One in two say bottled water tastes same as tapBottled water may be losing its sparkle after a Which? survey found many people think it tastes just the same as tap water.
- 24 Jul 2008Many drivers unaware of emission levelsNearly three quarters of British motorists have no idea how much carbon dioxide their car emits, according to a new survey
- 23 Jul 2008Mortgage advisers flunk Which? Money testMore than 90% of mortgage advisers investigated in a Which? Money probe were caught giving poor quality advice.
- 23 Jul 2008Government warns of drinks crackdownThe government has promised tougher action against the alcohol industry unless it steps up efforts to encourage sensible drinking.
- 23 Jul 2008Smaller banks best for interest and serviceSmaller banks are continuing to shame the ‘big four’ high street banks with better interest rates and superior customer service, Which? Money reveals today.
- 23 Jul 2008Dangerous mains chargers 'flooding into UK'Thousands of dangerous mobile phone and games console chargers are flooding into the UK from China, trading standards officers (TSOs) have warned.
- 23 Jul 2008Lotus unveils the EvoraAmid much pomp and for a huge media crowd, UK luxury car company Lotus has unveiled its first all-new model since the mid-1990s.
- 23 Jul 2008Supermarkets cut price of petrol and dieselSupermarkets have launched a petrol price war, with three of Britain's biggest chains cutting the cost of unleaded and diesel by up to 5p a litre.
- 23 Jul 2008Air passenger watchdog sees complaints fallFor the first time in six years the annual number of complaints made to an air passenger watchdog has fallen, it was revealed today.
- 23 Jul 2008Move to end 'green' tariff confusionPower suppliers will soon have to do more to explain why their ‘green’ energy tariffs are environmentally friendly.
- 22 Jul 2008British Motor Show gets set to openMore than £37m worth of cars will be on display at the British International Motor Show when it opens at London’s Excel tomorrow.
- 22 Jul 2008Which? climbs superbrands listWhich? is the most reputable British magazine according to a survey of the nation’s top brands.
- 22 Jul 2008FSA extends overdraft fee complaints waiverAn official waiver allowing banks to put off dealing with customers trying to reclaim unauthorised overdraft charges has been extended for another six months.
- 22 Jul 2008Government set to tackle happy hour and glass sizeHappy hours in pubs and clubs could be banned in an attempt to promote responsible drinking, a government spokesperson has said.
- 22 Jul 2008Claiming after a car crash will be fasterNew measures to speed up the road accident personal injury claims process have been announced by the government.
- 22 Jul 2008Theft of fuel from cars 'has doubled'The number of incidents of theft of fuel from vehicles has doubled since the beginning of the year, it's been revealed.
- 19 Jul 2008New warning over soaring gas pricesGas prices are set to soar and then remain high for the foreseeable future, a report has revealed.
- 18 Jul 2008BMW restyles the 3 SeriesBMW has unveiled a new look - both inside and out - for its core model, the 3 Series.
- 18 Jul 2008Digital book reader 'fits library in your pocket'A new electronic book reader is claimed to have a memory big enough for you to store an entire library in it.
- 18 Jul 2008Mobile users to get spam protectionTougher rules to protect consumers from unsolicited mobile phone services and intrusive text messages could be in place by the winter under new proposals.
- 18 Jul 2008Mortgage broker banned over false applicationsA mortgage broker has been banned for submitting false mortgage applications without the knowledge of the individuals involved, the City watchdog has announced.
- 18 Jul 2008Ryanair announces cut in flight numbersBudget airline Ryanair has announced substantial cutbacks in its number of flights from a leading holiday airport next winter.
- 18 Jul 2008Poll predicts cuts in pension schemesFour out of 10 defined benefit pension schemes will have closed to existing members within the next 10 years, a new survey says.
- 18 Jul 2008Bloggers rush for .me domain nameOnline bloggerscan now personalise their own web pages after the .me internet domain address was launched yesterday afternoon.
- 18 Jul 2008New cars and hot deals, 18 July 2008£3.5k off Lotus Elise R
- 18 Jul 2008Which? advice saves family £10,000Families fearing the effects of the credit crunch can save thousands of pounds by simply reviewing the products and providers they use, Which? says today.
- 17 Jul 2008Nice to launch the Ze-O electric MPVThe Nice Car Company is set to unveil an all-electric MPV at next week’s British International Motor Show.
- 17 Jul 2008Which? Holiday gives tips for a better tripGood timing and preparation can help you to avoid a nightmare at the airport this summer, Which? Holiday says today.
- 17 Jul 2008PM confirms petrol tax hike is offGordon Brown has confirmed this autumn's planned 2p rise in fuel duty has been scrapped.
- 17 Jul 2008Ombudsman raps government over Equitable LifeThe government should apologise to Equitable Life policyholders and compensate them for any money they lost as a result of its regulatory failure, the Parliamentary Ombudsman said today.
- 16 Jul 2008OFT raps banks for complex current accounts Many customers don't know how much they're paying in bank charges for their current account, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said today.
- 16 Jul 2008EU announces crackdown on text roaming costsThe European Commission has announced a crackdown on the cost of mobile phone text messages following the failure of companies to take voluntary action.
- 16 Jul 2008BT to roll out super-fast broadbandBT has announced a £1.5bn scheme to roll out super-fast broadband to as many as 10 million homes by 2012.
- 16 Jul 2008New exotic fruit set for UK shopsAn exotic African fruit with up to six times the vitamin C of an orange has been cleared to be sold in Britain.
- 16 Jul 2008Kids still targeted by junk food marketingFood companies are using social networking sites and text messaging competitions to market unhealthy food to children, Which? reveals today.
- 16 Jul 2008Anti-speed camera council leader had driving banThe leader of a council which is considering scrapping speed cameras was once banned from driving for speeding, it's been revealed.
- 15 Jul 2008Ford unveils new FiestaVisitors to next week’s British International Motor Show in London will be able to catch a glimpse of the all new Ford Fiesta.
- 15 Jul 2008Former building societies to mergeFormer building societies Abbey and Alliance & Leicester are to be merged under a £1.26 billion deal.
- 15 Jul 2008Staple food prices up by a fifthConsumers are paying 21% more for staple food items like milk, bread and eggs than they were 12 months ago, new figures show.
- 15 Jul 2008Online file sharers face legal actionBritons who illegally share games and films over the internet are facing legal action from computer game manufacturers seeking to protect their copyright.
- 14 Jul 2008UKTV announces channel shake-upChat show couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan are switching to a new channel from digital television network UKTV this autumn.
- 14 Jul 2008BT offers to speed up your broadbandBT has launched a new service which promises to speed up your broadband or give your money back.
- 12 Jul 2008Computer problems hit iPhone launchComputer glitches overshadowed yesterday’s high profile launch of Apple's new iPhone.
- 12 Jul 2008Report calls for junk mail clampdownA wide-ranging clampdown on the sources of junk mail, cold-calling and spam email has been proposed by an official report.
- 12 Jul 2008Insurers reach flood cover dealThe insurance industry and the government have reached an agreement to ensure householders are able to obtain protection against flooding.
- 11 Jul 2008New iPhone goes on sale on FridayThe latest version of Apple's popular iPhone will go on sale at about 8am on Friday.
- 11 Jul 2008Doctors join Which? to protect laser patientsDoctors and patient groups have joined Which? in opposing government plans that could see many more cosmetic patients suffer botched treatments.
- 11 Jul 2008Celery and sat navs stolen from carsCelery, curtains and cat flaps are some of the more unusual items stolen by car thieves in the last 12 months, a new study has reported.
- 11 Jul 2008New cars and hot deals, 11 July 2008Our roundup of the latest cars, deals and motoring movers and shakers
- 11 Jul 2008Breakthrough for hydrogen-powered carsThe idea of running cars on hydrogen is moving closer to reality following a major breakthrough by a British firm
- 11 Jul 2008Petrol could hit £1.50 by end of yearRoad users could be paying nearly £1.50p a litre for petrol by the end of the year, a motoring group has warned.
- 10 Jul 2008Millions facing higher car taxMore than 9 million drivers will be up to £245 worse off when new road tax price hikes come into force, the government has admitted.
- 10 Jul 2008Waitrose set to open convenience storesWaitrose is expected to take on convenience stores such as Sainsbury’s Local and M&S Simply Food by launching a rival version.
- 10 Jul 2008Drivers predict gridlock within 20 yearsMore than half of drivers think Britain's roads will be gridlocked in the next 20 years, a survey from the RAC has found.
- 10 Jul 2008Mobile phone owners 'shun recycling'Thousands of old mobile phones are left unused at home rather than being sent for recycling, according to a new survey.
- 10 Jul 2008UK drivers targeted abroadTwo thirds of British drivers abroad are likely to get into difficulties this summer, according to the Foreign Office (FCO).
- 09 Jul 2008PC World launches Atom netbook PC World has launched the first small computer in the UK to feature Intel’s new Atom processor.
- 09 Jul 2008Google facing privacy flak over Street View Plans by Google to add photographs of British streets to its online maps could be referred to the UK’s privacy watchdog.
- 09 Jul 2008Citroën unveils new C3 PicassoCitroën has revealed its latest mini MPV – the C3 Picasso – which will launch in the UK in the middle of 2009.
- 09 Jul 2008Passengers losing faith in trainsPassenger satisfaction levels have fallen in the last year for the majority of train companies, a watchdog has announced.
- 08 Jul 2008PM urges families to stop wasting foodThe government has called on consumers to cut down on the billions of pounds worth of food wasted each year.
- 08 Jul 2008Google forced to reveal YouTube recordsA US judge has ordered online video-sharing site YouTube to disclose who watches the website's video clips and when.
- 08 Jul 2008Banks' profits '£2.5bn a year' from overdraft feesThe UK's major banks make £2.5bn a year in profit through unauthorised overdraft charges, the competition watchdog is expected to reveal this month.
- 08 Jul 2008Mayor scraps £25 Congestion chargePlans to increase the London congestion charge to £25 for higher-emission cars have been scrapped following a legal challenge by Porsche.
- 07 Jul 2008Tourist charged £31,500 for TV downloadAn IT worker received a whopping £31,500 bill after downloading his favourite TV show while abroad.
- 07 Jul 2008Court rules Pringles are not crispsA Pringle is undoubtedly crisp - but it is not a potato crisp.
- 07 Jul 2008Ford unveils new Focus RSFord has released pictures of its high-performance Focus RS ahead of its official British Motor Show debut later this month.
- 07 Jul 2008Renault announces new 'hot hatch'Renault has unveiled details and pricing for its latest 'hot hatch' – the Twingo Renaultsport 133.
- 04 Jul 2008Polaroid launches instant prints from a phoneThe Polaroid instant photo has been relaunched for the digital age with a miniature printer designed to unlock images from mobile phones.
- 04 Jul 2008New cars and hot deals, 4 July 2008All the latest bargains from our deal-hunters. Summer is here and the manufacturers are trying to tempt you away from your last-minute holiday hunting.
- 04 Jul 2008Firefox 3 sets world download recordThe latest version of the popular Firefox browser now holds the world record for the largest number of software downloads in 24 hours.
- 04 Jul 2008We reveal online DNA tests are waste of moneyExpensive online DNA testing services are a waste of money that won't unlock the secrets of your past, Which? Computing can reveal.
- 04 Jul 2008Insurers catch record number of car cheatsNew figures show that the number of fraudulent motor insurance claims uncovered has soared by 70% over the past three years.
- 04 Jul 2008RAC makes tax plea for driversTreasury plans to raise around £2bn in road taxes before 2011 will cost motorists four times more than would be saved by the dropping of the proposed October 2p fuel duty increase, the RAC Foundation said today.
- 03 Jul 2008New sat nav will see jams aheadA new hi-tech sat-nav device is being developed which can tell when there is a traffic jam ahead, scientists revealed today.
- 03 Jul 2008Seat Ibiza SportCoupé set for UK launchSeat is set to unveil a host of new models at this month’s British International Motor Show, including the much-anticipated Ibiza SportCoupé.
- 03 Jul 2008Which? announces new chairmanWhich? has announced that Mike Clasper is to be chairman of the organisation's commercial arm.
- 03 Jul 2008Record numbers listen to radio onlineThe number of people in the UK listening to digital radio via the internet has soared.
- 03 Jul 2008Discount food stores enjoy sales boomDiscount food retailers are enjoying a boom as consumers reject premium brands to cope with the credit crunch, analysts say.
- 03 Jul 2008Severn Trent Water fined for bad service and liesWater regulator Ofwat has confirmed it is fining Severn Trent Water a total of £35.8m for deliberately providing false information and poor customer service.
- 03 Jul 2008Hyundai-Kia outsells Honda and NissanKorean company Hyundai-Kia has become the world’s fifth biggest carmaker following huge growth over the past decade, new figures show.
- 02 Jul 2008Rubik's Cube tipped as Christmas best sellerThe Rubik's Cube is set to top the Christmas best-sellers list once again, more than 25 years after its launch, a retailer has predicted.
- 02 Jul 2008Solar-powered digital radio launchedDigital radio company Roberts says its new solar-powered digital radio is a world first.
- 02 Jul 2008Plans to protect savings leave gaps, says Which?New government proposals to protect savers when a bank goes under don't go far enough, Which? has warned.
