Croydon shopkeepers can improve their customer care skills by logging on to a new consumer rights website run by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

The council’s new online resource was launched earlier this month and they hope sales staff and store managers will come away with a better understanding of what their customers have the right to expect from them.

The OFT estimates that problems with unsatisfactory goods costs people some £6.6billion every year.

Councillor Steve O’Connell, cabinet member for community safety, said: “The law is set up to make sure that customers are protected from poor quality or defective goods and services. This website sets out very clearly what businesses have to do when someone complains to them about a fault or problem.”

The ‘Sale of Goods Act Hub’ at oft.gov.uk/saleofgoodsact provides businesses with a great way of training staff and ensuring that proper policies are in place to protect the rights of customers.

Jason Freeman, Legal Director in the OFT’s Consumer Group, said: “Sales staff may be unsure of their responsibilities under the Sale of Goods Act as it has been updated over the years and new requirements have been added.

“The OFT has worked to provide clarity on this cornerstone of consumer protection through the new hub.”