Consumer Focus

We campaign for consumers in Britain and for postal consumers in Northern Ireland. Our work impacts on businesses in many areas including energy, post, sustainability, digital communications and public services.

We encourage companies to treat consumers fairly and challenge inefficient practices and unhelpful procedures.

Our sister company, Consumer Direct, deals with individual complaints, we focus on issues that have a wider implication for consumers, especially those affecting vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers.

Created by the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007, and funded by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, we have legal powers.

We work with government and internationally, pushing consumer issues to the forefront of the political agenda and influencing changes in the law so that consumers are protected.

For example...

As a result of our super-complaint to the Office of Fair Trading about cash ISAs, consumers will save at least £15 million.

Our Extra Help Unit supported 7,000 energy consumers, keeping them connected to their energy supply and recovering a total of £880,000 in compensation.

A powerful report from Consumer Focus Wales led to action to prevent a repeat of the tragic outbreak of E.coli O157.

We are campaigning for a change in copyright law. Anyone copying purchased music CDs to play on an MP3 player is breaking the law. Consumer Focus wants to see copyright law updated so that it’s fair and in line with consumer use.