Trading standards

Business and consumer advice

Ealing Council’s trading standards team helps make sure businesses in the borough act fairly towards consumers and comply with the law. The team can help consumers and businesses understand trading standards legislation through advice, investigation and enforcement action.

Trading standards can investigate:

  • underage sales
  • the sale or supply of illicit tobacco and vapes
  • other unlawful business practices.

Get help as a consumer

Trading standards can investigate consumer complaints, unfair trading claims or illegal business activity where a criminal offence may have been committed.

If you want to make a complaint about a trader, or need advice about a possible dispute, contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service first. They can provide impartial advice on a range of consumer issues and explain what can realistically be done to resolve the matter.

You can contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service by:

Trading Standards cannot help consumers with individual civil claims, such as helping consumers to get a refund. If you need advice about a personal issue with a business, contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service.

Consumer information

You may also find the following information useful:

Advice for businesses

The Business Companion website provides free, impartial legal guidance for UK businesses on consumer protection and trading standards legislation. It helps businesses understand and comply with laws on fair trading, product safety, pricing, digital sales, food standards and more.

If you are a business owner looking to register for a fireworks licence, visit our fireworks registration page for more information.

Food businesses

Ealing Council’s food safety team covers issues involving businesses that sell food. The team can advise businesses on food products, including labelling, allergens and other matters relating to food and food businesses.

Visit the Food businesses page for more information.

Animal feed businesses

If you would like to register your business as a manufacturer or retailer of animal feed products, complete the animal feed registration form and email it to TradingStandards@ealing.gov.uk for processing and registration.

Contact us

If the information you need is not available from Citizens Advice Consumer Service or Business Companion, contact trading standards via:

Trading Standards latest work

Read more about some of the publicised work carried out by our trading standards officers: