Guidance forBusinesses
We know trading standards regulations can be complex, but understanding and following them is essential for your business to succeed.
Our Trading Standards officers are here to help, by providing tailored services to help you develop your business and comply with regulations. By using our services, you can invest in compliance confidently knowing you’re receiving expert advice and support from those who enforce the legislation.
In this section, you can find information about our paid-for business services as well as free advice in our online guides to get you started.
For UK Transition hints, tips and toolkits for your business, visit Heart of the South West Growth Hub UK Transition.
Tailored services
Designed to meet your business needs
Our paid-for, tailored advice can help you grow and develop your business. By coming to us, you can invest in compliance confidently knowing you’re receiving advice from the experts who enforce the legislation.
You can pay for advice through our Primary Authority or Buy With Confidence schemes, or on an hourly basis.
Primary Authority partnership
Primary Authority is a government scheme offering tailored advice on complying with regulations that other local regulators must respect.
Licensing
Information on applications for licences for supplying and keeping a range of products including explosives, fireworks and petroleum.
Weights and measures
If you have weights or measuring scales that require testing or calibration or need to organise equipment verification, we can help.
Heart of the South West Growth Hub
Contact the Heart of the South West Growth Hub for independent diagnosis and referrals to existing business support services to help your business grow and develop.
Buy With Confidence
Become Trading Standards approved
Are you a business that customers can trust? Find out more about our approved trader scheme and use our badge of approval to let people know you’re a business consumers can have confidence in.
Devon businesses can extend their Buy With Confidence membership to be part of Made in Devon.
Help with trading legally and responsibly
Consumer rights and fair trading
The law can be a complex place, so take a look at our guidance documents covering a wide range of common issues.
More advice and guidance
Food law
Helping you to ensure food sold is safe, properly labelled and within the law.
Product safety
If you produce, import or distribute any goods, they must be safe for the consumer.
Cyber crime
Helping you to protect your business from fraud and online crime.
Age restricted products
Make sure you know exactly which products are age restricted in the UK.
New businesses
Are you a new business or taking over an existing business?
Latest business news
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Heart of the South West Better Business for All wins national award
The Heart of the South West Better Business for All partnership (HotSW BBFA) has won the Better Business for All award at the Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) … Continue reading
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Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards expands to include Plymouth from April
Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service will merge with Plymouth City Council Trading Standards from 1 April 2021. All four authorities have approved the plans which will give them … Continue reading
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Businesses urged to sign up to ‘prepare for Brexit’ webinar
Businesses in Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset are invited to a free webinar to hear from experts about preparing for Brexit in less than five weeks’ time. Deal or no … Continue reading