THE Government is to clamp down on unfair sales and marketing practices to protect consumers and honest businesses.

On May 26, many existing laws - including most of the Trade Descriptions Act - will be replaced by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the regulations will outlaw aggressive selling techniques, including harassment, and misinforming and misleading people about products or services, such as failing to disclose important information.

Businesses that deal fairly and honestly with customers may not notice any changes to the way they work and will benefit by no longer having to face unfair competition from traders who use underhand practices.

Those who fail to comply with the laws may be investigated by Trading Standards, leading to prosecution or a fine.

Businesses are urged to make sure they are treating customers properly by reading and understanding the new regulations, which ban 31 specific practices, including faking credentials, using scare tactics to sell goods or services and pestering the consumer.

A guide providing an overview of fair trading, explaining the law on describing products and services, outlining the work of Trading Standards and advising businesses on what do if a complaint is made, is available on the Business Link website.

The website also provides an interactive regulation checklist to create a personalised list of regulations that affect individual businesses.

Business Link's substantial team of expert brokers operate across the region in local access points and on a mobile basis.

For further information about Business Link call 0845-600-9006. For further information about fair trading visit business link.gov.uk/unfairtrading * Colin Grimston is operations manager of Business Link North-East