Episode 4 Watchdog Daily

Hello, and welcome to Watchdog Daily. We're with you live for the

next 45 minutes. On this morning's programme: Private parking

companies. They want drivers to stick to the rules. Why aren't some

abiding by their own code? Those crazy supermarket offers -

confusing and maybe illegal too. And careful what you drink - how

Britain is awash with counterfeit Break the rules in a council-run

car park or on a public road, and you can be fined by the local

authority or police. Break them in one of the many car parks run by

private companies, and you'll be hit with a charge - often for a

These private parking companies will go after you, demanding sky-

high parking charges, even for the slightest infringement, it seems.

We have this report. They don't have any legal powers to

The car after about 40 minutes and exited the car park. It was not

until two weeks later that I was surprised to receive through the

post a parking charge from Excel Parking.

A ticket bought for an hour, a charge issued for parking for who

minutes. Richard assumed there had been anor

r error. He thought that getting them to

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds

I guess I would recommend to anyone who is parking in one of these car

parks that has automatic numberplate recognition is to keep

hold of the tickets, it could be you next.

The DVLA suspended five companies for issues misleading information

For the time being, at least they are unable to get access to the

DVLA database to buy drivers' details.

We take the management and the control of our database seriously,

but we have to strike a balance to provide to organisations to have a

cause to have that data. Parking companies are some of those.

Earlier we became aware of some of the organisations breaching rules.

We have felt it right to take appropriate action to suspend them

receiving that information. While the DVLA has taken action

against those companies, they are still members of the British

Parking Association. The body that is in charge of the code and

supposed to regulate the industry. As is Premier Park. A company who

issued Ian Peat with a parking charge, without him even parking.

We were having a holiday in Cornwall. I was looking for a

campsite. I had gone the wrong way. The first place to park was a car

park. It was three minutes in and out. I got a ticket.

Dis piet the BPA code saying parking companies should allow

drivers a grace period to leave without parking, Ian Peat received

a �60 charge after three minutes. Premier Park said he had entered a

restricted area. The charges soon began to rise.

Then we got a second letter for �100. It was 28 days to pay. If we

did not pay it went up to �150. I was fuming.

Fuming about it. �60 for three minutes in a car park?! Just to

turn around, go in, turn around and go back out again. It is ridiculous.

Ridiculous, perhaps, and arguably, against the code drawn up by the

British Parking Association. Of which, remember, Premier Park is a

member. The DVLA are finally starting to take action against

companies who treat drivers unfairly, when will the BPA? Well,

the director of Institute of Public Policy Research -- Director of

Policy and Public Affairs is here to answer that question later on.

Now, though, Rani is in the mailroom with responses from the

companies. What did they say? Premier Park said that they comply

with all legal requirements. They said that they advised Ian Peat of

the appeals process but have not heard from him.

Excel Parking who took 160 days to respond to Richard Couzen said they

were investigating. They are reviewing their complaint

procedures. The good news, they have cancelled

Richard Couzen's parking charges and covered his expenses. They have

maintained that they have not issued misleading information to

breach the BPA code. Combined Parking Solutions said there was a

concern raised about the wording on a small number of sites. That has

been rectified. All signage is compliant. If you would like to

comment on the stories today, here Rani, thank you very $$NEWLINEWHITE

Over the next few weeks, millions of us will be stocking up on wine,

spirits and beer for the Christmas holidays. Much.

And pubs, clubs and off-licences will be enjoying their busiest time

of the year. For the Consumer Cops, who police much of the alcohol

trade, things are also starting to get hectic. Shefali Oza reports

from the Midlands. It is peaceful in Dudley, but in the run-up to

Christmas, reports of antisocial behaviour can rice. This is fuelled

by the availability of cheap booze and the off-licences prepared to

sell it to teenagers. Under-age drinking in the UK is among the

worst in the world. We have been found to have the fourth highest

level of binge drinking among 15 to 16-year-olds in Europe. Teenagers

are putting their health and risk and creating havoc for the rest of

The figures show that most people who have alcohol-related problems,

started to drink alcohol at a young age. Youth consumption of alcohol

is one of the primary causes for antisocial behaviour in

neighbourhoods. That is why Trading Standards

Officers here are trying to stop the problem as source, at the shops,

pubs and the off-licences that supply the drink to under-age

drinkers. They send in under 18s to people in the area to see who is

prepared to sell to them. Retailers should ask a person that they

believe under-age for ID. OK. We are going to carry out a

briefing as to going out on the exercise. Are you wearing make-up?

Yes, foundation and mascara. The identity of this minor must be

protected. Officers don't want her to risk suffering a reprisal. One

visit is to an off-licence that they have tested before. Last time

the shopkeeper sold to the customer and then left the shop before the

officer could serve a penalty notice. If the offence is repeated

today, the consequences could be much more serious.

And she has a bottle of booze! fact it takes two minutes for the

minor to be sold a bottle of vodka mix. The officers head to the shop

to confront the seller. Hello, again. Remember me? I am

checking that you sold alcohol to this girl. It is the same chap as

the last time. She is 16 years old. You did it six weeks ago, the same

seller is back in the shop and done it again.

This time the team is take nothing chances. Before issuing a fixed

penalty notice, the PC checks the seller's passport. He must check

that the details are correct or the fine may never be paid.

Very good. This is all legal. Thank you. So, we can fine you now.

Yes. Fantastic. The chap who sold the alcohol to the 16-year-old has

been issued with an �80 fixed penalty notice.

Do you want to shake my hand? See you later. Two sales in less than

three months can carry a maximum of a �20,000 fine. So we are past the

advice stage. We are to collect the evidence and review the action to

be taken against the premises. Tackling under-age drinking is one

of the ways that the Trading Standards police the alcohol trade.

Another way is to ensure that adults get a good deal. Over in

Sandwell, Samantha and Windu are carrying out a series of checks at

pubs. We are here to do a routine

inspection of the bar. OK? First test, they are making sure that

people get the amounts that they pay for.

I am starting with the Bacardi. This is slightly over, so this is

within the tolerance. Next they use litmus paper to check

if the spirits are genuine. I use a dip to check that this is

again genuine. I can see that the paper has turned from yellow to

green. This indicates it is genuine alcohol in the bottle.

It is important for the consumer in terms of ensuring that what they

are paying for is what they are getting. So they are not being de

received in any way. -- deceived in any way. The tests

are designed to ensure what is in the bottle is what the consumer

gets. The same for the whisky. Ensuring it has not been watered

down. Making sure that the alcohol strength is the correct one and it

has not been tampered with in any way.

Very good? Thank you. This can be a problem in the region,

but not just in possibles. Some off-licences are selling fake booze.

Recent increases in the availability of wines and spirits

means that the taxpayer loses money. It can cost drinkers their health,

too. In Dudley, they have a number of ways to spotlight of fakes.

OK. What we have -- spot the fakes. What we have here are three bottles

of vod cack -- vodka. You can see that they all like identical.

However, turning the bottles around, all three have a stamp on which

says that the UK duty is paid. That stamp must be on the back of this

to be sold in Great Britain. The way to tell if these are genuine

bottles or not is to use the device, a UV light and put it against the

back of the bottles. Throws two here, they -- these two here go

grown. This one does nothing. That means that this one here is

counterfeit. When you put the UV light against it, you can tell the

fakes. Without that it looks identical.

Armed with the knowledge and the equipment, the officers are ready

to head out and inspect what is on offer at the local off-licences.

Why was that behind the counter? have stock at the bottom when I am

on my own. There is stock on the shelves

here... Find out what happens later. Next up, Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco

and Morrison's. Two years ago the Office of Fair Trading warned them

about advertising deals that don't add up, but last year I caught them

doing it again. I found 17 packs of products

presented as better value when they were not. Five in Tesco, five in

Sainsbury's, four in ASDA and three in Morrison's. A year on, you would

hope that the misleading offers have vanished from the shelve, but

It is a familiar sight, supermarket shelves, crammed with tempting

offers and products that promise big savings.

But all too often, the shelves are plagued with offers that make you

think you are getting a good deal, but in reality present no saving,

like this one. Seasoning for a pound each or three

for �3. A saving of nothing. Or this one, yes, that is one for

�1.48 or two for �3.50. That does not seem like a good deal to me! So

judging by the photos, it seems that some supermarkets are at it,

but are they all? Let's grab the trolleys and secret cameras! Over

the course of four days we visited two branches of Sainsbury's,

Morrison's, Tesco and ASDA. They were barely through the doors of

this ASDA branch when they came across this offer, no saving there,

then. Where there is no saving for the

consumer, although the pricing is accurate, it is misleading for the

consumers. They may be encouraged to buy more than they would have

done. Deals offering no savings are

common, but then there are those that could mean that the shoppers

are losing out. Take this offer, two for �3..50. You can't miss it.

Look at the size of that label. It sounds good.

Yeah, it looks good, but it is not really. Not when compared to the

eight-pack, selling for only �3. The same number of pots, but fifty

pence cheaper. Tesco had eye-catching offer ons

Muller. Six pots for �3. It sounded great

until we looked below to find a six-pot multi-pack for �1 less. In

Sainsbury's, the multi-pack was even cheaper.

There is no sign as big as this one saying half price?

And then they came across a more serious pricing trick. So serious

it potentially breeches the law. Bigger packs presented as value

when they were not. If a bigger pack value claim is not

accurate, this cowl abbreach for unfair trading regulations. If an

average consumer, when they knew of the true pricing, could then make a

different decision. Our team found 26 examples of this

in all four big super markets and their chains. Five in Morrison's,

six in ASDA. This is the better value, you get

more for your money. Sev no-one Tesco, and eight in

Sainsbury's -- sev no-one Tesco, and eight in Sainsbury's.

That is �3.32, versus �3.20. This is the value pack, apparently.

is crazy. It is confusing. Some of the smaller packs were on

offer, but as the law stands, that is no excuse.

It is the responsibility of the supermarket to ensure that the

consumers are given clear and accurate pricing information.

It is their job to ensure that the message that the consumer gets is

the correct one. And it gets worse. We found six

examples of bigger packs presented as better value when the smaller

pack was not on special offer. Two at Morrison's, two at

Sainsbury's and two at Tesco. If there is a bigger pack better

value claim on a product and the smaller pack is not on offer, but

works out that buying two of the smaller is cheaper than buying one

of the larger pack, then, this is clearly, a breach of consumer

protection from unfair trading regulations if the consumers would

have chosen differently when the true situation is drawn to their

attention. Supermarkets blame the pricing

confusion on the manufacture, but they cannot do that with some

examples as we found three advertising own-brand products as

better value, when they were not. One in Sainsbury's.

Bigger pack, better value, but this is the better value.

Two in Morrison's. I can get two of those for less.

And another two in ASDA. If I get four of these it is only �

303. That is less than the �3.50 on the saving pack. It is clear from

the evidence that I have seen that many examples of breaches have been

found. If they are not complying with the

regulations, then they are at risk of a potential criminal prosecution.

Strong words there. So, Rani, what did the supermarkets say? They say

that they don't set out to mislead customers. Tesco said that the

smaller products identified were on promotion, but two products were

priced incorrectly and they have rectified. Morrison's say that the

branded packs were on promise owes. They accept that their own brand

bigger pack orange juice was not better value as labelled as they

had older stock with smaller cartons that at the wanted to sell

off. The mis -- mistake has been

rectified. ASDA say that a bigger pack can fall out of line on

occasion. Sainsbury's said that they believe that we chose a

difficult product with which to compare. We disagreed.

Earlier we showed how private parking companies have been

flouting the industry code. As a result, the DVLA has suspended

access to its database, so they are unable to buy drivers' names and

addresses so they cannot pursue motorists for parking charges, but

the British Parking Association has allowed them to stay as members,

even though it should set the standards for the industry. Kelvin

Reynolds is the Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the BPA. So

six companies have your seal of approval, yet the DVLA will not

deal with them it is rather embarrassing for you? Good morning.

I think we have a situation where they are temporarily suspended. It

is better to keep them in the scheme to bring them back into

compliance. Our job is to raise the standards, to bring professionalism

in the marketing sector. But the DVLA have suspended them?

Our job is to raise the standards. We work with the companies. We will

be speaking to the DVLA, we are speaking to the companies about the

way that they are apparently not complying. Where there are breaches

we have sanctions. Why not show them that you mean

business and suspend them yourself? Without your seal of approval they

cannot operate? It is important to keem them in the scheme. We have a

sanction scheme. We will apply the appropriate sanctions, but it is

important for the consumer to understand what the companies have

done, why the DVLA thinks that they have breached the code and get them

to put it right. Some of the drivers we showed

earlier on, the companies are rling showing them no mercy for the --

really showing them no mercy, but you seem to be letting the

companies off the hook. That gives me an opportunity to

talk about the appeals process. It is fully funded by the industry.

Operators will abide by the decisions. It is totally

independent. It is for every motorist who feels

that they have been poorly treated by a parking company, they can take

their plaint to it. It can be a lengthy process, should

the motorists be doing that? That is a benefit to the parking on

private land appeal service. It is instant justice. It works similar

to the way in which the public appeal service works in that

motorists simply write to the operator, then they have the

opportunity to go to the independent appeal service.

One of the issues, you are partly funded by the private companies.

People will think that is one of your difficulties. You can't or

tonight want to suspend them as you are getting money from them? It is

true. Members pay fees to be a member of the British Parking

Association, but coming back to the independent appeal service it is

there. The decisions are made by the

appeal service have nothing to do with us. Our members have agreed to

abide by the decisions of that association. It is far better for

the consumer that they are in an organisation that is controlled

than outside one that is in an uncontrolled environment.

Later on we are giving you a run down of your legal rights when it

comes to private parking tickets, but that, we are heading back to

the Midlands to the Consumer Cops involved in the illegal drinks

trade. Now they are on the hunt for something that adult buyers can

purchase. It is counterfeit and often dangerous alcohol.

The officers have been on the road carrying out the inspections for

two hours. Dudley Council Trading Standards.

We have a police officer with us to look at spirits and tobacco.

So far, they have visited four premises and found nothing to

concern them, but here they have seen a couple of bottles that

caught their eye. We have found two bottles rim and

whisky that don't carry the stickers that we would be looking

for to say it is a legitimate product. From the Trading Standards

point of view, with the product, there could be health concerns with

what is inside of it. Many of the officers' visits are

routine spot-checks, but other inspections like the ones that

Chris and Jerry are planning are more intelligence-based.

We are going into an off-licence, where there is intelligence to

suggest that they are supplying non-duty paid alcohol.

We are doing an inspection of the shop. We have had a complaint

alleging there has been a sale of non-duty paid spirits on the

premises. We have to look. What where are the storage areas? That's

What is here? Chris looks in the storeroom. He becomes suspicious.

There is a big of spirits here. put them there because there were a

few in the boxes. It is because of the spacing.

I always put them like that. We will start with these ones.

These bottles in the bag appear genuine, but others do not.

Do you keep spirits down here? You have some under the counter

here? I was taking them into the back.

We think that bot sl counterfeit. It could be.

When you look at the bar code, the digits use the figure four, the

entire line goes up to the top. We are told by the manufactures that

they do not use the closed four in printing bar codes it is a way to

detect that the labelling may be false.

Why was that behind the counter? was putting that at the bottom for

when I am on my own. There is stock on the shelves.

sell one, I have to put it in the counter.

The shopkeepers here are at month that they bought this from a

genuine source. We are taking those away and the

invoice for further inspection. If we are said they are OK, you get

them back with an apology. .Jerry And Chris leave with five

bottles of vodka, but on the way to the car they discussed the

labelling on other bottles. They head back for a second look.

We are seizing these bottles as well. This product could be sold by

a chap in a van who comes around and sell it is to the shops. This

gentleman assures that is not what happened in this situation. That

this comes from a recognised wholesaler. If that is the case, we

will feel sympathy as they are buying a large quantityy of spirits.

If they are going to a legitimate warehouse to buy it, that is

difficult. If they are buying from the cash and the carry, they would

not think there is anything wrong. I would not know. We buy from

legitimate people. We did that. We still have, apparently, aaccording

to Trading Standards, fake goods. We are struggling being a small

business, trying to establish ouvs. I feel like crying. I really do.

Chris and Jerry leave the premises again. This time they have seized a

total of 17 bottles. Later examination confirmed that

all 17 bottles were non-duty paid, but the shopkeepers featured were

able to provide the Trading Standards with receipts. They have

been issued with a warning, but as this can lead to losses of up to

�1..2 billion each year to the UK Treasury, there is no let-up in the

crackdown. You have told us there was no more

vodka here? Find out what happens in that store later.

Lots of you have been getting in touch about the crazy supermarket

offers. Here are a couple more: Rachel spotted this price drop.

This looks good until you see it was reduced from �1..76, the same

price. Another so-called price drop sent in by Laura Cartwright. Surf

Capsules on offer for �5.59, whether the pack used to be �5.50.

Tesco said that they were mistakes. They have apologised.

Now, we have heard a lot about the parking charges, but the question

most drivers want answered, if you get one from a private company and

you think it unfair, do you have to pay it? To answer that we have

turned to today's expert in residence, Professor Margaret

Griffiths. These are not fines, but invoices

for a breach of contract. They may look about those issued by the

public authorities, but they are different. There is nothing in

criminal law to support a charge or fine for parking on private land.

This is how they work. When you first enter a car park, you really

are entering a contract. You are agreeing to terms that the car park

owner may have laid out about for example how long you stay or pay

and display requirements. This must be displayed on a notice when

coming into the car park and at other points around the car park.

Including any car park charges that are payable and any other charges

to which you are lible if you breached the conditions of the

contract. Remember, the notices must be clearly visible. They must

not be hind a tree where you cannot see them or be dirty, so you can't

read what they say. If that is in place and you breached the terms

you can expect to be charged, but the charge cannot be

disproportionate to the loss that the company suffered plus admin

charges. The charges should not be high. So, what if you get a notice

when you know you were not in the wrong? Because for example, either

the metre was not working or the signs were not clear? Then you

could have a very strong case for an appeal. So, here is what to do.

Contact the company at the earliest opportunity to tell them you are

contesting the charge. Ask them to provide proof of the case against

you. It is up to them to prove you breached the contract.

You can support the case with photographic evidence. If the metre

was not working or the signs were not clear. Take a photo. Then wait.

To comply with the British Parking Association's code of practise, the

parking company must acknowledge your letter within 14 days and give

a decision in 35 days. If you cannot reach agreement with a

parking company, take it to parking on private land appeals. Or POPLA.

That is an independent process launched recently. If the appeal is

not successful, the company would have to prove the case in court

before taking the money from you. They are most unlikely to do that.

It is worth getting advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau or a

solicitor. Professor Margaret Griffiths there.

For more information or advice on writing effective letters of

complaint, please go to the website: Earlier we saw Trading

Standards Officers uncovering illegal alcohol in a store. Now

they are on their way to a second store. This time they know what

they are looking for. In Dudley, the Trading Standards

Enforcement Officer, is preparing to make a visit to a second shop

where he seized five bottles of illegal vodka three weeks ago.

Here they are paying a good price for a product that may not be

genuine on the side of the consumer. Also it could not be genuine

alcohol it could contain high levels of chemicals that can cause

blindness, even death. With such high stakes they must be

confident that they have seized all of the stock on the premises for

testing. Jerry enlisted the help of fellow officer, Bernard Cheek.

Hello, I came in a few weeks ago. There is Mr Cheek from Trading

Standards. We are here to do a full inspection to ensure there is no

other counterfeit alcohol on the premises. We have the power to do

that, we would like to do it with your consent. We have to look

behind the counter and in the storeroom. Is that OK? Yes.

Thank you very much. That is an old label. The label

here has been put on. It has not been put on properly.

It is not stuck down properly. There are errors on the labels

itself. It tells me that is counterfeit.

We will be seizing that bottle of vodka.

Trading Standards have techniques for telling if a bottle is

counterfeit. They are wary about revealing all in case the

bootleggers find out and rectify their mistakes.

The units are wrong on the label, but other things that I know that

tell me that is a counterfeit label. I am not saying you knew, but that

is a counterfeit bottle. So one suspect bottle on the shelf,

but the officers are concerned that there could be more.

Where is the storeroom? Where do you keep the alcohol? We just put

it on the shelf. There is no separate store for

alcohol? No. Not really. There is some here and here.

The owner is adamant there is no more vodka on sight, but something

catches Bernard's eye in the corner. A few boxes is right! Jerry knows

that the vodka bottle are not legitimate, but they have found

another brand that they suspect to be illegal.

The labels are poorly stuck on. It is a duty paid label here on the

rear of the bottle, but we are not satisfied that is genuine. It is

not showing the duty responsible logo on here.

If it is genuine, then they will have their vodka back. Obviously if

it is not, we make further enquiries and deal with it as fit.

Do you have the receipts for these? I asked you before? Can we have the

truth. You told us there was no more vodka in here. You said there

was no more drink in here. Now we So some left over since Christmas?

How long was that? We need the receipts. If you bought them

genuinely, you should be able to produce the receipts to show them

where they have come from. If you have knowingly bought counterfeit

alcohol, you could be charged. If you have bought it innocently, you

have nothing to worry about. So, a big Suezure for the Dudley

team. They removed about 70 bottles of vodka from the store.

We bought it as a genuine. We don't know the difference between genuine

and fake. It is up to him to produce the

receipts. I think they are doing the right

thing, but they should be warning the people before. They should come

in the shops and let us know what is wrong and what is right. What is

counterfeit, what is not counterfeit. We tried to find the

receipt, if we can find it, we will produce it. Obviously there is a

lot of work to be done. That will be done in the coming weeks.

Joining me now is Chris King, the principal Trading Stand ards

Officer. Let's start with the alcohol you seized. Where they

counterfeit? Yes, they were. The labels were fake. They were

counterfeit labels, falsely put on the battles to indicate that the UK

duty was paid, but they were not. And the store keeper provided

receipts? They did, we are carrying out investigations to see in that

accounts for the origin for the vodka and spirits in question.

We saw you were running an under- age sales operation, there has been

a development in that case too? That premises has been taken to

review with the Local Authority Licensing Committee. It has had its

licence to sell alcohol revoked. There is an appeals process to a

premises that lose s its licence, so we have to see that through, but

at the first hearing, the licence to sell alcohol has been removed.

The vodka was not fake or dangerous, but there are occasions when the

alcohol that you take can pose a risk to people, what are the

dangers? Sometimes the spirits inside the bolt can be counterfeit

as well. Often they are cheaply refined in industrial units without

health and safety procedures. When we analyse them, we find that they

contain all sorts of derivatives of alcohol. It is dangerous. The kind

of stuff that is found in paint stripper. We find out about that

fake product as we get a phone call from the member of the public who

bought a bottle of spirits, who has been drinking it and been ill, we

look and find it is counterfeit. Thank you very much, Chris.

Well, Rani is here with some of your comments.

Lots on supermarket pricing and this one about the parking, asking

them to regulate themselves by giving them a few tin of biscuits

and saying don't eed any! tomorrow's programme:

Nectar. Tesco Clubcard. Avios - How the country's most popular reward

schemes can end up costing you money. Preparing for a cruise? You

won't believe the price of staying connected with friends and family.