Part 1

The Office of Fair Trading

General functions of OFT

Promoting good consumer practice
8
1
The OFT has the function of promoting good practice in the carrying out of activities which may affect the economic interests of consumers in the United Kingdom.
2
In carrying out that function the OFT may (without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1)) make arrangements for approving consumer codes and may, in accordance with the arrangements, give its approval to or withdraw its approval from any consumer code.
3
Any such arrangements must specify the criteria to be applied by the OFT in determining whether to give approval to or withdraw approval from a consumer code.
4
Any such arrangements may in particular—
a
specify descriptions of consumer code which may be the subject of an application to the OFT for approval (and any such description may be framed by reference to any feature of a consumer code, including the persons who are, or are to be, subject to the code, the manner in which it is, or is to be, operated and the persons responsible for its operation); and
b
provide for the use in accordance with the arrangements of an official symbol intended to signify that a consumer code is approved by the OFT.
5
The OFT shall publish any arrangements under subsection (2) in such manner it considers appropriate.
6
In this section “consumer code” means a code of practice or other document (however described) intended, with a view to safeguarding or promoting the interests of consumers, to regulate by any means the conduct of persons engaged in the supply of goods or services to consumers (or the conduct of their employees or representatives).