Companies respond positively to the UK European Consumer Centre’s involvement for a number of reasons.

Andy Allen, service director at the UK ECC, said: “Sometimes traders respond to the UK ECC positively because there has been a lack of knowledge within the company about consumer rights which we are able to rectify, and sometimes it’s because the language and geographical barriers which exist for consumers are reduced when we are involved.

 “The UK ECC service is fair and companies may respond because we are a professional and trusted brand delivered by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. Companies may also respond to us positively because the relationship between the trader and the consumer has broken down and it just needs somebody else to act as a go-between. Sometimes the trader just needs that extra little push to do the right thing.”