NEWS

Petrol stations in Ballymena were among 87 Northern Ireland premises subjected to unannounced inspections as Trading Standards tested whether motorists were receiving the amount of fuel they paid for. Twelve of the 371 pieces of equipment examined between April and July were found to be outside the permitted margin of error. Any equipment presenting an issue was immediately withdrawn for repair, recalibration or adjustment. The Trading Standards Service has not disclosed whic

Trading Standards Service (TSS) has seized more than £22,000 worth of counterfeit toys from high street retailers and shopping centres, issuing a stark warning to families ahead of the Christmas shopping rush. The haul included fake Labubu dolls, K Pop Demon Hunters merchandise, Lego figures and Disney’s Lilo & Stitch products. Some of the counterfeit items were being sold for as much as £80, potentially misleading consumers into believing they were genuine branded goods. TSS

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has urged consumers across Northern Ireland to remain alert to fraudsters during the busy festive shopping period, warning that scammers are increasingly exploiting the rush of online gift buying. Dr Archibald said: “Fraudsters don’t stop for Christmas and will continue to operate, targeting people who are busy preparing for the festive season. With so many people shopping online for gifts it’s worth taking a bit more time to ensure that

As Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales gather momentum, the Trading Standards Service (TSS) is urging consumers across Northern Ireland to “shop smart” and stay alert to misleading deals, scams and counterfeit goods circulating during the busiest shopping weekend of the year. Damien Doherty, TSS Chief Inspector , warned that the seasonal rush can leave consumers vulnerable to deceptive sales tactics. He said: “While many retailers offer genuine discounts at this time of year,