Work with the Advertising Standards Authority

National Trading Standards acts as the legal backstop for the Advertising Standards Authority. Government sees law enforcement around misleading advertising as a last resort, and favours self-regulation.

National Trading Standards receives funding for the ASA legal backstop to handle referrals from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) where the ASA’s sanctions have not deterred a marketer from continuing with misleading advertising. It does not receive direct complaints from the public.

Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards deliver this legal backstop on behalf of National Trading Standards.

It is the ASA’s decision whether or not to make a referral to Buckinghamshire and Surrey. It is then Buckinghamshire and Surrey Council’s decision whether or not to investigate or take any enforcement action.

On the rare occasions where some form of Court action is required to resolve the matter, additional funds can be claimed to support criminal cases.