Consumers & Office of Fair Trading - September 2010

OFT launches market study into aggregates
On 7 September 2010, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) launched a market study into the UK aggregates sector.

The aggregates sector is substantial, with a turnover in 2008 of £4.8bn. The majority of aggregates are used in the construction of homes and roads, much of it for making products such as ready-mixed concrete, concrete products, mortar and asphalt. Aggregates are also used as base material under foundations, roads, and railways.

The sector has high barriers to entry, increasing concentration at the local level and Government involvement in the form of a national system of control over outputs. The OFT study will look at all of these factors to determine how they influence competitive conditions and whether the market delivers good value for money to taxpayers and end consumers as the cost of aggregates flows through to the construction of essential infrastructure. The market study is expected to be completed by July 2011.

The OFT has published a 5-page Q&As document which is available at: www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/market-studies/aggregates-QAs.pdf

Source: www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2010/93-10
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ofgem launches investigations into misselling and sets up hotline for consumers to report misleading energy sales
On 2 September 2010, Ofgem announced that it has launched investigations into four suppliers (npower, Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy and EDF Energy) to determine if they are complying with new obligations. This action follows tougher obligations on suppliers put in place as part of Ofgem's energy retail probe remedies

A new "Hotline" has been set up with Consumer Direct for consumers to provide any evidence of misselling. The hotline will be available on the standard Consumer Direct number 08454 04 05 06 ayed University signs agreement to offer ICAEW certificate

Source: www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/PressRel/Documents1/Misselling_Press%20Release%202Sept.pdf
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