Scottish Government

About the Scottish Consumer Council

The Scottish Consumer Council ( SCC) was set up by government in 1975. Our purpose is to promote the interests of consumers in Scotland, with particular regard to those people who experience disadvantage in society. While producers of goods and services are usually well-organised and articulate when protecting their own interests, individual consumers very often are not. The people whose interests we represent are consumers of all kinds: they may be patients, tenants, parents, solicitors' clients, public transport users, or simply shoppers in a supermarket.

Consumers benefit from efficient and effective services in the public and private sectors. Service-providers benefit from discriminating consumers. Balanced partnership between the two is essential and the SCC seeks to develop this partnership by:

• carrying out research into consumer issues and concerns;
• informing key policy and decision-makers about consumer concerns and issues;
• influencing key policy and decision-making processes;
• informing and raising awareness among consumers.

The SCC is part of the National Consumer Council ( NCC) and is sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry. The SCC's Chairman and Council members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in consultation with the First Minister. Martyn Evans, the SCC's Director, leads the staff team.

Please check our web site at www.scotconsumer.org.uk for news about our publications.

Telephone 0141 226 5261
Facsimile 0141 221 0731
www.scotconsumer.org.uk

Written by Jennifer Wallace, Policy Manager

The Scottish Consumer Council
February 2007

The SCC assesses the consumer perspective in any situation by analysing the position of consumers against a set of consumer principles.

These are:

ACCESS
Can consumers actually get the goods or services they need or want?

CHOICE
Can consumers affect the way the goods and services are provided through their own choice?

INFORMATION
Do consumers have the information they need, presented in the way they want, to make informed choices?

REDRESS
If something goes wrong, can it be put right?

SAFETY
Are standards as high as they can reasonably be?

FAIRNESS
Are consumers subject to arbitrary discrimination for reasons unconnected with their characteristics as consumers?

REPRESENTATION
If consumers cannot affect what is provided through their own choices, are there other effective means for their views to be represented?

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