:00:30. > :00:37.Hello, and welcome to Watchdog Daily. We're with you live for the
:00:37. > :00:46.next 45 minutes. On this morning's programme: Private parking
:00:46. > :00:50.companies. They want drivers to stick to the rules. Why aren't some
:00:50. > :00:55.abiding by their own code? Those crazy supermarket offers -
:00:55. > :01:05.confusing and maybe illegal too. And careful what you drink - how
:01:05. > :01:14.
:01:14. > :01:17.Britain is awash with counterfeit Break the rules in a council-run
:01:17. > :01:23.car park or on a public road, and you can be fined by the local
:01:23. > :01:26.authority or police. Break them in one of the many car parks run by
:01:26. > :01:36.private companies, and you'll be hit with a charge - often for a
:01:36. > :01:37.
:01:37. > :01:44.These private parking companies will go after you, demanding sky-
:01:44. > :01:53.high parking charges, even for the slightest infringement, it seems.
:01:53. > :02:03.We have this report. They don't have any legal powers to
:02:03. > :02:20.
:02:20. > :02:24.The car after about 40 minutes and exited the car park. It was not
:02:24. > :02:27.until two weeks later that I was surprised to receive through the
:02:27. > :02:32.post a parking charge from Excel Parking.
:02:33. > :02:37.A ticket bought for an hour, a charge issued for parking for who
:02:37. > :02:40.minutes. Richard assumed there had been anor
:02:40. > :02:50.r error. He thought that getting them to
:02:50. > :02:50.
:02:50. > :03:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:03:42. > :03:46.I guess I would recommend to anyone who is parking in one of these car
:03:46. > :03:50.parks that has automatic numberplate recognition is to keep
:03:50. > :03:55.hold of the tickets, it could be you next.
:03:55. > :04:05.The DVLA suspended five companies for issues misleading information
:04:05. > :04:13.
:04:13. > :04:17.For the time being, at least they are unable to get access to the
:04:17. > :04:22.DVLA database to buy drivers' details.
:04:22. > :04:26.We take the management and the control of our database seriously,
:04:26. > :04:30.but we have to strike a balance to provide to organisations to have a
:04:30. > :04:34.cause to have that data. Parking companies are some of those.
:04:34. > :04:38.Earlier we became aware of some of the organisations breaching rules.
:04:38. > :04:42.We have felt it right to take appropriate action to suspend them
:04:42. > :04:46.receiving that information. While the DVLA has taken action
:04:46. > :04:49.against those companies, they are still members of the British
:04:49. > :04:55.Parking Association. The body that is in charge of the code and
:04:55. > :05:01.supposed to regulate the industry. As is Premier Park. A company who
:05:01. > :05:05.issued Ian Peat with a parking charge, without him even parking.
:05:05. > :05:14.We were having a holiday in Cornwall. I was looking for a
:05:14. > :05:20.campsite. I had gone the wrong way. The first place to park was a car
:05:20. > :05:25.park. It was three minutes in and out. I got a ticket.
:05:25. > :05:31.Dis piet the BPA code saying parking companies should allow
:05:31. > :05:36.drivers a grace period to leave without parking, Ian Peat received
:05:36. > :05:39.a �60 charge after three minutes. Premier Park said he had entered a
:05:39. > :05:46.restricted area. The charges soon began to rise.
:05:46. > :05:53.Then we got a second letter for �100. It was 28 days to pay. If we
:05:53. > :05:59.did not pay it went up to �150. I was fuming.
:05:59. > :06:05.Fuming about it. �60 for three minutes in a car park?! Just to
:06:05. > :06:11.turn around, go in, turn around and go back out again. It is ridiculous.
:06:11. > :06:15.Ridiculous, perhaps, and arguably, against the code drawn up by the
:06:15. > :06:19.British Parking Association. Of which, remember, Premier Park is a
:06:19. > :06:25.member. The DVLA are finally starting to take action against
:06:26. > :06:30.companies who treat drivers unfairly, when will the BPA? Well,
:06:30. > :06:33.the director of Institute of Public Policy Research -- Director of
:06:33. > :06:38.Policy and Public Affairs is here to answer that question later on.
:06:38. > :06:42.Now, though, Rani is in the mailroom with responses from the
:06:42. > :06:48.companies. What did they say? Premier Park said that they comply
:06:48. > :06:52.with all legal requirements. They said that they advised Ian Peat of
:06:52. > :06:57.the appeals process but have not heard from him.
:06:57. > :07:01.Excel Parking who took 160 days to respond to Richard Couzen said they
:07:01. > :07:05.were investigating. They are reviewing their complaint
:07:05. > :07:10.procedures. The good news, they have cancelled
:07:10. > :07:14.Richard Couzen's parking charges and covered his expenses. They have
:07:14. > :07:20.maintained that they have not issued misleading information to
:07:20. > :07:26.breach the BPA code. Combined Parking Solutions said there was a
:07:26. > :07:30.concern raised about the wording on a small number of sites. That has
:07:30. > :07:40.been rectified. All signage is compliant. If you would like to
:07:40. > :07:47.
:07:47. > :07:50.comment on the stories today, here Rani, thank you very $$NEWLINEWHITE
:07:50. > :07:52.Over the next few weeks, millions of us will be stocking up on wine,
:07:52. > :07:55.spirits and beer for the Christmas holidays. Much.
:07:55. > :07:58.And pubs, clubs and off-licences will be enjoying their busiest time
:07:58. > :08:01.of the year. For the Consumer Cops, who police much of the alcohol
:08:01. > :08:11.trade, things are also starting to get hectic. Shefali Oza reports
:08:11. > :08:13.
:08:13. > :08:18.from the Midlands. It is peaceful in Dudley, but in the run-up to
:08:18. > :08:22.Christmas, reports of antisocial behaviour can rice. This is fuelled
:08:22. > :08:27.by the availability of cheap booze and the off-licences prepared to
:08:27. > :08:32.sell it to teenagers. Under-age drinking in the UK is among the
:08:32. > :08:38.worst in the world. We have been found to have the fourth highest
:08:38. > :08:42.level of binge drinking among 15 to 16-year-olds in Europe. Teenagers
:08:42. > :08:51.are putting their health and risk and creating havoc for the rest of
:08:51. > :08:55.The figures show that most people who have alcohol-related problems,
:08:55. > :08:59.started to drink alcohol at a young age. Youth consumption of alcohol
:08:59. > :09:02.is one of the primary causes for antisocial behaviour in
:09:02. > :09:07.neighbourhoods. That is why Trading Standards
:09:07. > :09:13.Officers here are trying to stop the problem as source, at the shops,
:09:13. > :09:18.pubs and the off-licences that supply the drink to under-age
:09:18. > :09:23.drinkers. They send in under 18s to people in the area to see who is
:09:23. > :09:29.prepared to sell to them. Retailers should ask a person that they
:09:29. > :09:39.believe under-age for ID. OK. We are going to carry out a
:09:39. > :09:45.
:09:45. > :09:50.briefing as to going out on the exercise. Are you wearing make-up?
:09:50. > :09:54.Yes, foundation and mascara. The identity of this minor must be
:09:54. > :10:01.protected. Officers don't want her to risk suffering a reprisal. One
:10:01. > :10:05.visit is to an off-licence that they have tested before. Last time
:10:05. > :10:11.the shopkeeper sold to the customer and then left the shop before the
:10:11. > :10:14.officer could serve a penalty notice. If the offence is repeated
:10:14. > :10:24.today, the consequences could be much more serious.
:10:24. > :10:24.
:10:25. > :10:31.And she has a bottle of booze! fact it takes two minutes for the
:10:31. > :10:37.minor to be sold a bottle of vodka mix. The officers head to the shop
:10:37. > :10:41.to confront the seller. Hello, again. Remember me? I am
:10:41. > :10:51.checking that you sold alcohol to this girl. It is the same chap as
:10:51. > :10:52.
:10:52. > :10:55.the last time. She is 16 years old. You did it six weeks ago, the same
:10:55. > :11:01.seller is back in the shop and done it again.
:11:01. > :11:07.This time the team is take nothing chances. Before issuing a fixed
:11:07. > :11:12.penalty notice, the PC checks the seller's passport. He must check
:11:12. > :11:21.that the details are correct or the fine may never be paid.
:11:21. > :11:27.Very good. This is all legal. Thank you. So, we can fine you now.
:11:27. > :11:32.Yes. Fantastic. The chap who sold the alcohol to the 16-year-old has
:11:32. > :11:37.been issued with an �80 fixed penalty notice.
:11:37. > :11:43.Do you want to shake my hand? See you later. Two sales in less than
:11:43. > :11:48.three months can carry a maximum of a �20,000 fine. So we are past the
:11:48. > :11:57.advice stage. We are to collect the evidence and review the action to
:11:57. > :12:00.be taken against the premises. Tackling under-age drinking is one
:12:01. > :12:07.of the ways that the Trading Standards police the alcohol trade.
:12:08. > :12:14.Another way is to ensure that adults get a good deal. Over in
:12:14. > :12:18.Sandwell, Samantha and Windu are carrying out a series of checks at
:12:18. > :12:24.pubs. We are here to do a routine
:12:24. > :12:28.inspection of the bar. OK? First test, they are making sure that
:12:28. > :12:34.people get the amounts that they pay for.
:12:34. > :12:40.I am starting with the Bacardi. This is slightly over, so this is
:12:40. > :12:47.within the tolerance. Next they use litmus paper to check
:12:47. > :12:51.if the spirits are genuine. I use a dip to check that this is
:12:51. > :12:56.again genuine. I can see that the paper has turned from yellow to
:12:56. > :13:00.green. This indicates it is genuine alcohol in the bottle.
:13:00. > :13:07.It is important for the consumer in terms of ensuring that what they
:13:07. > :13:14.are paying for is what they are getting. So they are not being de
:13:14. > :13:18.received in any way. -- deceived in any way. The tests
:13:18. > :13:24.are designed to ensure what is in the bottle is what the consumer
:13:24. > :13:29.gets. The same for the whisky. Ensuring it has not been watered
:13:29. > :13:33.down. Making sure that the alcohol strength is the correct one and it
:13:33. > :13:38.has not been tampered with in any way.
:13:38. > :13:45.Very good? Thank you. This can be a problem in the region,
:13:45. > :13:49.but not just in possibles. Some off-licences are selling fake booze.
:13:49. > :13:54.Recent increases in the availability of wines and spirits
:13:54. > :14:00.means that the taxpayer loses money. It can cost drinkers their health,
:14:00. > :14:07.too. In Dudley, they have a number of ways to spotlight of fakes.
:14:07. > :14:13.OK. What we have -- spot the fakes. What we have here are three bottles
:14:13. > :14:19.of vod cack -- vodka. You can see that they all like identical.
:14:19. > :14:26.However, turning the bottles around, all three have a stamp on which
:14:26. > :14:31.says that the UK duty is paid. That stamp must be on the back of this
:14:31. > :14:36.to be sold in Great Britain. The way to tell if these are genuine
:14:36. > :14:45.bottles or not is to use the device, a UV light and put it against the
:14:45. > :14:50.back of the bottles. Throws two here, they -- these two here go
:14:50. > :14:55.grown. This one does nothing. That means that this one here is
:14:55. > :14:58.counterfeit. When you put the UV light against it, you can tell the
:14:58. > :15:02.fakes. Without that it looks identical.
:15:03. > :15:09.Armed with the knowledge and the equipment, the officers are ready
:15:09. > :15:15.to head out and inspect what is on offer at the local off-licences.
:15:15. > :15:20.Why was that behind the counter? have stock at the bottom when I am
:15:20. > :15:29.on my own. There is stock on the shelves
:15:29. > :15:33.here... Find out what happens later. Next up, Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco
:15:33. > :15:38.and Morrison's. Two years ago the Office of Fair Trading warned them
:15:38. > :15:45.about advertising deals that don't add up, but last year I caught them
:15:46. > :15:50.doing it again. I found 17 packs of products
:15:50. > :15:56.presented as better value when they were not. Five in Tesco, five in
:15:56. > :16:00.Sainsbury's, four in ASDA and three in Morrison's. A year on, you would
:16:00. > :16:10.hope that the misleading offers have vanished from the shelve, but
:16:10. > :16:20.
:16:20. > :16:23.It is a familiar sight, supermarket shelves, crammed with tempting
:16:23. > :16:28.offers and products that promise big savings.
:16:28. > :16:33.But all too often, the shelves are plagued with offers that make you
:16:33. > :16:41.think you are getting a good deal, but in reality present no saving,
:16:41. > :16:48.like this one. Seasoning for a pound each or three
:16:48. > :16:55.for �3. A saving of nothing. Or this one, yes, that is one for
:16:55. > :17:01.�1.48 or two for �3.50. That does not seem like a good deal to me! So
:17:01. > :17:06.judging by the photos, it seems that some supermarkets are at it,
:17:06. > :17:13.but are they all? Let's grab the trolleys and secret cameras! Over
:17:13. > :17:18.the course of four days we visited two branches of Sainsbury's,
:17:18. > :17:22.Morrison's, Tesco and ASDA. They were barely through the doors of
:17:22. > :17:26.this ASDA branch when they came across this offer, no saving there,
:17:26. > :17:30.then. Where there is no saving for the
:17:30. > :17:33.consumer, although the pricing is accurate, it is misleading for the
:17:33. > :17:37.consumers. They may be encouraged to buy more than they would have
:17:37. > :17:41.done. Deals offering no savings are
:17:41. > :17:46.common, but then there are those that could mean that the shoppers
:17:47. > :17:51.are losing out. Take this offer, two for �3..50. You can't miss it.
:17:51. > :17:57.Look at the size of that label. It sounds good.
:17:57. > :18:02.Yeah, it looks good, but it is not really. Not when compared to the
:18:02. > :18:09.eight-pack, selling for only �3. The same number of pots, but fifty
:18:09. > :18:19.pence cheaper. Tesco had eye-catching offer ons
:18:19. > :18:26.Muller. Six pots for �3. It sounded great
:18:26. > :18:29.until we looked below to find a six-pot multi-pack for �1 less. In
:18:29. > :18:34.Sainsbury's, the multi-pack was even cheaper.
:18:34. > :18:41.There is no sign as big as this one saying half price?
:18:41. > :18:45.And then they came across a more serious pricing trick. So serious
:18:45. > :18:50.it potentially breeches the law. Bigger packs presented as value
:18:50. > :18:57.when they were not. If a bigger pack value claim is not
:18:57. > :19:03.accurate, this cowl abbreach for unfair trading regulations. If an
:19:03. > :19:08.average consumer, when they knew of the true pricing, could then make a
:19:08. > :19:14.different decision. Our team found 26 examples of this
:19:14. > :19:18.in all four big super markets and their chains. Five in Morrison's,
:19:18. > :19:24.six in ASDA. This is the better value, you get
:19:24. > :19:28.more for your money. Sev no-one Tesco, and eight in
:19:28. > :19:37.Sainsbury's -- sev no-one Tesco, and eight in Sainsbury's.
:19:37. > :19:42.That is �3.32, versus �3.20. This is the value pack, apparently.
:19:42. > :19:46.is crazy. It is confusing. Some of the smaller packs were on
:19:46. > :19:51.offer, but as the law stands, that is no excuse.
:19:51. > :19:55.It is the responsibility of the supermarket to ensure that the
:19:55. > :19:59.consumers are given clear and accurate pricing information.
:19:59. > :20:03.It is their job to ensure that the message that the consumer gets is
:20:03. > :20:07.the correct one. And it gets worse. We found six
:20:07. > :20:15.examples of bigger packs presented as better value when the smaller
:20:15. > :20:20.pack was not on special offer. Two at Morrison's, two at
:20:20. > :20:24.Sainsbury's and two at Tesco. If there is a bigger pack better
:20:24. > :20:29.value claim on a product and the smaller pack is not on offer, but
:20:29. > :20:36.works out that buying two of the smaller is cheaper than buying one
:20:36. > :20:40.of the larger pack, then, this is clearly, a breach of consumer
:20:40. > :20:44.protection from unfair trading regulations if the consumers would
:20:44. > :20:47.have chosen differently when the true situation is drawn to their
:20:47. > :20:51.attention. Supermarkets blame the pricing
:20:52. > :20:56.confusion on the manufacture, but they cannot do that with some
:20:56. > :21:00.examples as we found three advertising own-brand products as
:21:00. > :21:05.better value, when they were not. One in Sainsbury's.
:21:05. > :21:10.Bigger pack, better value, but this is the better value.
:21:10. > :21:16.Two in Morrison's. I can get two of those for less.
:21:17. > :21:23.And another two in ASDA. If I get four of these it is only �
:21:23. > :21:28.303. That is less than the �3.50 on the saving pack. It is clear from
:21:28. > :21:31.the evidence that I have seen that many examples of breaches have been
:21:31. > :21:39.found. If they are not complying with the
:21:39. > :21:43.regulations, then they are at risk of a potential criminal prosecution.
:21:43. > :21:49.Strong words there. So, Rani, what did the supermarkets say? They say
:21:49. > :21:54.that they don't set out to mislead customers. Tesco said that the
:21:54. > :21:59.smaller products identified were on promotion, but two products were
:21:59. > :22:04.priced incorrectly and they have rectified. Morrison's say that the
:22:04. > :22:08.branded packs were on promise owes. They accept that their own brand
:22:08. > :22:13.bigger pack orange juice was not better value as labelled as they
:22:13. > :22:17.had older stock with smaller cartons that at the wanted to sell
:22:17. > :22:24.off. The mis -- mistake has been
:22:24. > :22:30.rectified. ASDA say that a bigger pack can fall out of line on
:22:30. > :22:35.occasion. Sainsbury's said that they believe that we chose a
:22:35. > :22:39.difficult product with which to compare. We disagreed.
:22:39. > :22:44.Earlier we showed how private parking companies have been
:22:44. > :22:51.flouting the industry code. As a result, the DVLA has suspended
:22:51. > :22:56.access to its database, so they are unable to buy drivers' names and
:22:56. > :23:00.addresses so they cannot pursue motorists for parking charges, but
:23:00. > :23:05.the British Parking Association has allowed them to stay as members,
:23:05. > :23:07.even though it should set the standards for the industry. Kelvin
:23:07. > :23:13.Reynolds is the Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the BPA. So
:23:13. > :23:17.six companies have your seal of approval, yet the DVLA will not
:23:17. > :23:21.deal with them it is rather embarrassing for you? Good morning.
:23:21. > :23:27.I think we have a situation where they are temporarily suspended. It
:23:27. > :23:31.is better to keep them in the scheme to bring them back into
:23:31. > :23:37.compliance. Our job is to raise the standards, to bring professionalism
:23:37. > :23:41.in the marketing sector. But the DVLA have suspended them?
:23:41. > :23:46.Our job is to raise the standards. We work with the companies. We will
:23:46. > :23:51.be speaking to the DVLA, we are speaking to the companies about the
:23:51. > :23:56.way that they are apparently not complying. Where there are breaches
:23:56. > :24:02.we have sanctions. Why not show them that you mean
:24:02. > :24:08.business and suspend them yourself? Without your seal of approval they
:24:08. > :24:12.cannot operate? It is important to keem them in the scheme. We have a
:24:12. > :24:16.sanction scheme. We will apply the appropriate sanctions, but it is
:24:16. > :24:20.important for the consumer to understand what the companies have
:24:20. > :24:24.done, why the DVLA thinks that they have breached the code and get them
:24:24. > :24:29.to put it right. Some of the drivers we showed
:24:29. > :24:33.earlier on, the companies are rling showing them no mercy for the --
:24:33. > :24:37.really showing them no mercy, but you seem to be letting the
:24:37. > :24:42.companies off the hook. That gives me an opportunity to
:24:42. > :24:47.talk about the appeals process. It is fully funded by the industry.
:24:47. > :24:51.Operators will abide by the decisions. It is totally
:24:51. > :24:55.independent. It is for every motorist who feels
:24:55. > :25:01.that they have been poorly treated by a parking company, they can take
:25:01. > :25:06.their plaint to it. It can be a lengthy process, should
:25:06. > :25:11.the motorists be doing that? That is a benefit to the parking on
:25:11. > :25:17.private land appeal service. It is instant justice. It works similar
:25:17. > :25:20.to the way in which the public appeal service works in that
:25:20. > :25:23.motorists simply write to the operator, then they have the
:25:23. > :25:27.opportunity to go to the independent appeal service.
:25:27. > :25:32.One of the issues, you are partly funded by the private companies.
:25:32. > :25:36.People will think that is one of your difficulties. You can't or
:25:36. > :25:40.tonight want to suspend them as you are getting money from them? It is
:25:40. > :25:44.true. Members pay fees to be a member of the British Parking
:25:44. > :25:47.Association, but coming back to the independent appeal service it is
:25:47. > :25:51.there. The decisions are made by the
:25:51. > :25:55.appeal service have nothing to do with us. Our members have agreed to
:25:55. > :26:00.abide by the decisions of that association. It is far better for
:26:00. > :26:03.the consumer that they are in an organisation that is controlled
:26:03. > :26:09.than outside one that is in an uncontrolled environment.
:26:09. > :26:14.Later on we are giving you a run down of your legal rights when it
:26:14. > :26:18.comes to private parking tickets, but that, we are heading back to
:26:18. > :26:22.the Midlands to the Consumer Cops involved in the illegal drinks
:26:22. > :26:27.trade. Now they are on the hunt for something that adult buyers can
:26:27. > :26:31.purchase. It is counterfeit and often dangerous alcohol.
:26:31. > :26:38.The officers have been on the road carrying out the inspections for
:26:38. > :26:44.two hours. Dudley Council Trading Standards.
:26:44. > :26:48.We have a police officer with us to look at spirits and tobacco.
:26:48. > :26:52.So far, they have visited four premises and found nothing to
:26:52. > :26:58.concern them, but here they have seen a couple of bottles that
:26:58. > :27:02.caught their eye. We have found two bottles rim and
:27:02. > :27:09.whisky that don't carry the stickers that we would be looking
:27:09. > :27:12.for to say it is a legitimate product. From the Trading Standards
:27:13. > :27:19.point of view, with the product, there could be health concerns with
:27:19. > :27:23.what is inside of it. Many of the officers' visits are
:27:23. > :27:28.routine spot-checks, but other inspections like the ones that
:27:28. > :27:33.Chris and Jerry are planning are more intelligence-based.
:27:33. > :27:38.We are going into an off-licence, where there is intelligence to
:27:38. > :27:43.suggest that they are supplying non-duty paid alcohol.
:27:43. > :27:48.We are doing an inspection of the shop. We have had a complaint
:27:48. > :27:53.alleging there has been a sale of non-duty paid spirits on the
:27:53. > :27:59.premises. We have to look. What where are the storage areas? That's
:27:59. > :28:05.What is here? Chris looks in the storeroom. He becomes suspicious.
:28:05. > :28:08.There is a big of spirits here. put them there because there were a
:28:08. > :28:15.few in the boxes. It is because of the spacing.
:28:15. > :28:20.I always put them like that. We will start with these ones.
:28:20. > :28:29.These bottles in the bag appear genuine, but others do not.
:28:29. > :28:33.Do you keep spirits down here? You have some under the counter
:28:33. > :28:40.here? I was taking them into the back.
:28:40. > :28:47.We think that bot sl counterfeit. It could be.
:28:47. > :28:52.When you look at the bar code, the digits use the figure four, the
:28:52. > :28:59.entire line goes up to the top. We are told by the manufactures that
:28:59. > :29:02.they do not use the closed four in printing bar codes it is a way to
:29:02. > :29:09.detect that the labelling may be false.
:29:09. > :29:14.Why was that behind the counter? was putting that at the bottom for
:29:14. > :29:21.when I am on my own. There is stock on the shelves.
:29:21. > :29:26.sell one, I have to put it in the counter.
:29:26. > :29:30.The shopkeepers here are at month that they bought this from a
:29:30. > :29:38.genuine source. We are taking those away and the
:29:38. > :29:44.invoice for further inspection. If we are said they are OK, you get
:29:45. > :29:49.them back with an apology. .Jerry And Chris leave with five
:29:50. > :29:58.bottles of vodka, but on the way to the car they discussed the
:29:58. > :30:03.labelling on other bottles. They head back for a second look.
:30:03. > :30:09.We are seizing these bottles as well. This product could be sold by
:30:09. > :30:13.a chap in a van who comes around and sell it is to the shops. This
:30:13. > :30:18.gentleman assures that is not what happened in this situation. That
:30:18. > :30:23.this comes from a recognised wholesaler. If that is the case, we
:30:23. > :30:31.will feel sympathy as they are buying a large quantityy of spirits.
:30:31. > :30:35.If they are going to a legitimate warehouse to buy it, that is
:30:35. > :30:40.difficult. If they are buying from the cash and the carry, they would
:30:40. > :30:47.not think there is anything wrong. I would not know. We buy from
:30:47. > :30:52.legitimate people. We did that. We still have, apparently, aaccording
:30:52. > :30:58.to Trading Standards, fake goods. We are struggling being a small
:30:58. > :31:02.business, trying to establish ouvs. I feel like crying. I really do.
:31:02. > :31:12.Chris and Jerry leave the premises again. This time they have seized a
:31:12. > :31:15.
:31:15. > :31:19.total of 17 bottles. Later examination confirmed that
:31:19. > :31:23.all 17 bottles were non-duty paid, but the shopkeepers featured were
:31:24. > :31:29.able to provide the Trading Standards with receipts. They have
:31:29. > :31:34.been issued with a warning, but as this can lead to losses of up to
:31:34. > :31:39.�1..2 billion each year to the UK Treasury, there is no let-up in the
:31:39. > :31:42.crackdown. You have told us there was no more
:31:42. > :31:46.vodka here? Find out what happens in that store later.
:31:46. > :31:56.Lots of you have been getting in touch about the crazy supermarket
:31:56. > :31:56.
:31:56. > :32:04.offers. Here are a couple more: Rachel spotted this price drop.
:32:04. > :32:09.This looks good until you see it was reduced from �1..76, the same
:32:09. > :32:14.price. Another so-called price drop sent in by Laura Cartwright. Surf
:32:14. > :32:18.Capsules on offer for �5.59, whether the pack used to be �5.50.
:32:18. > :32:22.Tesco said that they were mistakes. They have apologised.
:32:22. > :32:26.Now, we have heard a lot about the parking charges, but the question
:32:26. > :32:31.most drivers want answered, if you get one from a private company and
:32:31. > :32:35.you think it unfair, do you have to pay it? To answer that we have
:32:35. > :32:45.turned to today's expert in residence, Professor Margaret
:32:45. > :32:49.
:32:49. > :32:55.Griffiths. These are not fines, but invoices
:32:55. > :32:58.for a breach of contract. They may look about those issued by the
:32:58. > :33:03.public authorities, but they are different. There is nothing in
:33:03. > :33:07.criminal law to support a charge or fine for parking on private land.
:33:08. > :33:12.This is how they work. When you first enter a car park, you really
:33:12. > :33:18.are entering a contract. You are agreeing to terms that the car park
:33:18. > :33:22.owner may have laid out about for example how long you stay or pay
:33:22. > :33:27.and display requirements. This must be displayed on a notice when
:33:27. > :33:31.coming into the car park and at other points around the car park.
:33:31. > :33:35.Including any car park charges that are payable and any other charges
:33:35. > :33:40.to which you are lible if you breached the conditions of the
:33:40. > :33:47.contract. Remember, the notices must be clearly visible. They must
:33:47. > :33:51.not be hind a tree where you cannot see them or be dirty, so you can't
:33:51. > :33:56.read what they say. If that is in place and you breached the terms
:33:56. > :33:59.you can expect to be charged, but the charge cannot be
:33:59. > :34:05.disproportionate to the loss that the company suffered plus admin
:34:05. > :34:09.charges. The charges should not be high. So, what if you get a notice
:34:09. > :34:13.when you know you were not in the wrong? Because for example, either
:34:13. > :34:18.the metre was not working or the signs were not clear? Then you
:34:18. > :34:21.could have a very strong case for an appeal. So, here is what to do.
:34:22. > :34:26.Contact the company at the earliest opportunity to tell them you are
:34:26. > :34:30.contesting the charge. Ask them to provide proof of the case against
:34:30. > :34:34.you. It is up to them to prove you breached the contract.
:34:34. > :34:39.You can support the case with photographic evidence. If the metre
:34:39. > :34:44.was not working or the signs were not clear. Take a photo. Then wait.
:34:44. > :34:48.To comply with the British Parking Association's code of practise, the
:34:48. > :34:53.parking company must acknowledge your letter within 14 days and give
:34:53. > :35:01.a decision in 35 days. If you cannot reach agreement with a
:35:01. > :35:06.parking company, take it to parking on private land appeals. Or POPLA.
:35:06. > :35:09.That is an independent process launched recently. If the appeal is
:35:09. > :35:14.not successful, the company would have to prove the case in court
:35:14. > :35:19.before taking the money from you. They are most unlikely to do that.
:35:19. > :35:22.It is worth getting advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau or a
:35:22. > :35:26.solicitor. Professor Margaret Griffiths there.
:35:26. > :35:36.For more information or advice on writing effective letters of
:35:36. > :35:39.
:35:39. > :35:42.complaint, please go to the website: Earlier we saw Trading
:35:42. > :35:45.Standards Officers uncovering illegal alcohol in a store. Now
:35:46. > :35:53.they are on their way to a second store. This time they know what
:35:53. > :35:59.they are looking for. In Dudley, the Trading Standards
:35:59. > :36:05.Enforcement Officer, is preparing to make a visit to a second shop
:36:05. > :36:11.where he seized five bottles of illegal vodka three weeks ago.
:36:11. > :36:15.Here they are paying a good price for a product that may not be
:36:15. > :36:21.genuine on the side of the consumer. Also it could not be genuine
:36:21. > :36:26.alcohol it could contain high levels of chemicals that can cause
:36:26. > :36:29.blindness, even death. With such high stakes they must be
:36:29. > :36:37.confident that they have seized all of the stock on the premises for
:36:37. > :36:44.testing. Jerry enlisted the help of fellow officer, Bernard Cheek.
:36:44. > :36:49.Hello, I came in a few weeks ago. There is Mr Cheek from Trading
:36:49. > :36:52.Standards. We are here to do a full inspection to ensure there is no
:36:52. > :36:57.other counterfeit alcohol on the premises. We have the power to do
:36:57. > :37:01.that, we would like to do it with your consent. We have to look
:37:01. > :37:04.behind the counter and in the storeroom. Is that OK? Yes.
:37:04. > :37:09.Thank you very much. That is an old label. The label
:37:09. > :37:15.here has been put on. It has not been put on properly.
:37:15. > :37:18.It is not stuck down properly. There are errors on the labels
:37:18. > :37:23.itself. It tells me that is counterfeit.
:37:23. > :37:28.We will be seizing that bottle of vodka.
:37:28. > :37:32.Trading Standards have techniques for telling if a bottle is
:37:32. > :37:37.counterfeit. They are wary about revealing all in case the
:37:37. > :37:41.bootleggers find out and rectify their mistakes.
:37:41. > :37:46.The units are wrong on the label, but other things that I know that
:37:46. > :37:51.tell me that is a counterfeit label. I am not saying you knew, but that
:37:51. > :37:55.is a counterfeit bottle. So one suspect bottle on the shelf,
:37:55. > :38:02.but the officers are concerned that there could be more.
:38:02. > :38:09.Where is the storeroom? Where do you keep the alcohol? We just put
:38:09. > :38:19.it on the shelf. There is no separate store for
:38:19. > :38:20.
:38:20. > :38:26.alcohol? No. Not really. There is some here and here.
:38:26. > :38:36.The owner is adamant there is no more vodka on sight, but something
:38:36. > :38:53.
:38:53. > :38:58.catches Bernard's eye in the corner. A few boxes is right! Jerry knows
:38:58. > :39:01.that the vodka bottle are not legitimate, but they have found
:39:01. > :39:05.another brand that they suspect to be illegal.
:39:05. > :39:10.The labels are poorly stuck on. It is a duty paid label here on the
:39:10. > :39:16.rear of the bottle, but we are not satisfied that is genuine. It is
:39:16. > :39:21.not showing the duty responsible logo on here.
:39:21. > :39:27.If it is genuine, then they will have their vodka back. Obviously if
:39:27. > :39:33.it is not, we make further enquiries and deal with it as fit.
:39:33. > :39:39.Do you have the receipts for these? I asked you before? Can we have the
:39:39. > :39:49.truth. You told us there was no more vodka in here. You said there
:39:49. > :39:57.
:39:57. > :40:03.was no more drink in here. Now we So some left over since Christmas?
:40:03. > :40:06.How long was that? We need the receipts. If you bought them
:40:06. > :40:12.genuinely, you should be able to produce the receipts to show them
:40:12. > :40:17.where they have come from. If you have knowingly bought counterfeit
:40:17. > :40:21.alcohol, you could be charged. If you have bought it innocently, you
:40:21. > :40:27.have nothing to worry about. So, a big Suezure for the Dudley
:40:27. > :40:32.team. They removed about 70 bottles of vodka from the store.
:40:32. > :40:35.We bought it as a genuine. We don't know the difference between genuine
:40:35. > :40:39.and fake. It is up to him to produce the
:40:39. > :40:43.receipts. I think they are doing the right
:40:43. > :40:50.thing, but they should be warning the people before. They should come
:40:50. > :40:54.in the shops and let us know what is wrong and what is right. What is
:40:54. > :40:59.counterfeit, what is not counterfeit. We tried to find the
:40:59. > :41:05.receipt, if we can find it, we will produce it. Obviously there is a
:41:05. > :41:13.lot of work to be done. That will be done in the coming weeks.
:41:13. > :41:20.Joining me now is Chris King, the principal Trading Stand ards
:41:20. > :41:25.Officer. Let's start with the alcohol you seized. Where they
:41:25. > :41:30.counterfeit? Yes, they were. The labels were fake. They were
:41:30. > :41:36.counterfeit labels, falsely put on the battles to indicate that the UK
:41:36. > :41:40.duty was paid, but they were not. And the store keeper provided
:41:40. > :41:45.receipts? They did, we are carrying out investigations to see in that
:41:45. > :41:49.accounts for the origin for the vodka and spirits in question.
:41:49. > :41:52.We saw you were running an under- age sales operation, there has been
:41:52. > :41:59.a development in that case too? That premises has been taken to
:41:59. > :42:04.review with the Local Authority Licensing Committee. It has had its
:42:04. > :42:09.licence to sell alcohol revoked. There is an appeals process to a
:42:09. > :42:14.premises that lose s its licence, so we have to see that through, but
:42:14. > :42:19.at the first hearing, the licence to sell alcohol has been removed.
:42:19. > :42:23.The vodka was not fake or dangerous, but there are occasions when the
:42:23. > :42:27.alcohol that you take can pose a risk to people, what are the
:42:27. > :42:32.dangers? Sometimes the spirits inside the bolt can be counterfeit
:42:32. > :42:37.as well. Often they are cheaply refined in industrial units without
:42:37. > :42:42.health and safety procedures. When we analyse them, we find that they
:42:42. > :42:46.contain all sorts of derivatives of alcohol. It is dangerous. The kind
:42:46. > :42:51.of stuff that is found in paint stripper. We find out about that
:42:51. > :42:56.fake product as we get a phone call from the member of the public who
:42:56. > :43:00.bought a bottle of spirits, who has been drinking it and been ill, we
:43:00. > :43:04.look and find it is counterfeit. Thank you very much, Chris.
:43:04. > :43:09.Well, Rani is here with some of your comments.
:43:09. > :43:14.Lots on supermarket pricing and this one about the parking, asking
:43:14. > :43:19.them to regulate themselves by giving them a few tin of biscuits
:43:19. > :43:23.and saying don't eed any! tomorrow's programme:
:43:23. > :43:26.Nectar. Tesco Clubcard. Avios - How the country's most popular reward
:43:26. > :43:28.schemes can end up costing you money. Preparing for a cruise? You
:43:28. > :43:31.won't believe the price of staying connected with friends and family.