Which? Impact 2023 - 2024
Introduction
At Which? we achieve impact for consumers when we reduce consumer harm and in 2023/24 we focused our efforts on four priority objectives.
Our priorities for 2023/24 | |
|---|---|
| 1 Fighting rip-offs | - by tackling unfair pricing practices. - by challenging poor customer service and supporting consumers to assert their rights with businesses when problems arise |
| 2 Ensuring fairer financial services | - by driving fairer pricing for insurance and more efficient claims handling - by fighting for fair play from banks and payment providers when customers are scammed via automatic payment systems |
| 3 Ensuring fairer, safer digital services | - by continuing to fight for stronger consumer protections for the digital age - by challenging online marketplaces to be more accountable for consumer safety |
| 4 Making sustainable choices easier | - by ensuring consumers are supported in the journey to ‘net zero’, especially as it involves changes in home heating - by supporting consumers to make more sustainable purchasing decisions, including by challenging greenwashing. |
In 2023-24, focused on these priorities, we made change happen that benefited millions of consumers within the year. We estimate that the value of all our impact for consumers this year could be as much as £400 million - in time and money saved; payouts of refunds/compensation; reduced losses, worry or upset from consumer problems; and rip-offs and scams prevented.
We also drove change that will benefit millions more in the near future – having fought for and won new laws and regulations that will strengthen consumer protections for the digital age.
Our impact headlines
We made change happen by influencing businesses and policymakers through our campaigning and policy work, and by empowering consumers with our advice and services.
- On around 50 occasions this year we played a part in driving big businesses to play fair: to describe their goods and services honestly and price them fairly; to deliver accessible customer service; or to respect consumer rights. This included wins with tech giants and high street brands with millions of customers set to benefit from changes we helped drive.
- We influenced policymakers by using our evidence to draw attention to failings in how markets service consumers, engaging government and regulators both behind the scenes or through public campaigns. We then applied our policy expertise and consumer insights to help develop effective solutions. This included playing a significant role in shaping new consumer protections and regulators’ powers so that they are fit-for-purpose for our digital age.
- We supported millions of consumers with everyday advice, specialist helplines for members, and a growing free offer of online advice, tools, podcasts and videos, and free newsletters with a subscription base of around c2.8m.
Below we share just a few of this year’s headline achievements.
Our priorities for tackling consumer harm in 2024-25
For 2024/25 we will continue to focus on the same priorities, though with several new objectives.
Our priorities for 2024/25 | |
|---|---|
| 1 Fighting rip-offs | - We will continue to focus on pricing practices and on driving improvements in customer services, including with a new “customer service counts” campaign. - We will seek a government commitment to review Trading Standards and their role in holding businesses to account if they don’t play fair with their customers. |
| 2 Ensuring fairer financial services | - We will continue to tackle problems in insurance - from unfair terms and conditions to poor claims handling and low payout rates. - We will work on influencing the forthcoming Pensions Bill in the consumer interest. |
| 3 Ensuring fairer, safer digital services | - We will continue to seek more decisive action from online marketplaces to prevent the sale of unsafe products. - We will campaign for more decisive government action on fraud. - We will explore the impact of AI in consumer markets. |
| 4 Making sustainable choices easier | - We will advocate for better advice and mandatory trader certification in the sustainable home heating market, while also addressing the need for better advice with our own new home energy service. - We will continue to tackle greenwashing and other sustainability ‘rip-offs’. |
Download our 2023/24 Impact Report
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For previous reports see below
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