National Consumer Week (NCW) is an annual campaign which aims to raise awareness
of issues that consumers are having across the country, and the protections and
resources available to help people when they need it. The theme of this year’s campaign
is misleading environmental and energy efficiency claims.
We’ll be encouraging people to “be wise to being green”
What are some of the main issues?
Scams related to home energy improvements e.g. fraudulent traders or
scammers pretending to offer government grants
Mis-selling of energy improvement services or goods, including pressure
selling of goods and services that might not be appropriate for the
consumer
Greenwashing or companies making misleading claims made by
companies on a wider cross-market basis
Our top 3 messages to consumers
1. It’s important for us to make eco-friendly decisions as we work towards net zero,
and that includes things like making our homes more energy efficient. But it’s
also important that you can take these steps in a safe and secure way. By
following our advice you can equip yourself with the knowledge and confidence
you need to make the best decisions.
2. There are some misleading claims out there, so here are some things you need
to look out for when making these decisions:
○ Scams
○ Pressure selling and mis-selling
○ Greenwashing
3. Sometimes things still go wrong, and if they do we’re here to help. Get in touch
with the consumer service or visit our advice pages for more support.
For more information and support visit citizensadvice.org.uk/NCW21
If you’ve had a problem you can also contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133