Publications
If you require any of our publications in Braille, large print or on audio CD please contact us.
Stories to be told
3 May 2013
Consumer Focus Investigations, together with Consumer Focus Wales and with the support of Consumer Focus Scotland, has embarked on a detailed review of the mobile homes sector across Great Britain. This review was sparked by a number of worrying stories we heard from residents and representative bodies. This report focuses on the work we undertook [...]
Regulated Industries Work Plan 2013-14
8 April 2013
Over the last year we have been undergoing a metamorphosis. We no longer work across the economy and we are now focussed exclusively on representing consumers’ interests in complex regulated markets. Many of the issues we will tackle have profound implications for the future welfare of consumers. RIU Strategic Framework (2013-14) RIU Work Plan 2013/14 [...]
Consumer Focus Scotland response to Scottish Water’s consultation ‘Shaping the future of your water and wastewater services – draft strategic projections
14 March 2013
Consumer Focus Scotland welcomes the opportunity to respond to Scottish Water’s consultation “Shaping the future of your water and waste water services – Draft Strategic Projections”. We are particularly pleased that both stakeholders and consumers’ views are being sought to set out investment priorities and strategic approaches addressing the challenges lying ahead in the next [...]
Consumer Focus Scotland response to call for views on Scottish Government’s second report on Low Carbon Scotland RPP
20 February 2013
Consumer Focus Scotland welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Scottish Government’s second report on Low Carbon Scotland. Our response recognises the importance for consumers of minimising the impacts of climate change, while at the same time, highlighting the importance of concentrating action to reduce emissions on areas which bring benefits to consumers.
Keeping the heat in Scotland’s homes
20 February 2013
Keeping the heat in Scotland’s homes explores consumers’ experience of Scottish Government energy efficiency schemes, based on focus group research. The report shows that consumers were strongly positive about the service they received. However, participants experience also provides lessons to help encourage take up of future schemes so that more consumers benefit from warmer homes [...]
Changed Lives: The real cost of fuel bills
14 December 2012
Changed Lives explores consumers’ attitudes and responses to rising energy costs. It includes consumers’ views on the affordability of bills as well as actions in relation to switching to better deals and taking up energy efficiency measures.
Facing up to legal problems – towards a preventative approach to addressing disputes and their impact on individuals and society
13 December 2012
Significant numbers of consumers in Scotland experience problems relating to their legal rights or responsibilities that they find difficult to resolve. The evidence in this report suggests that a complex range of factors influence consumers’ behavior when dealing with law-related issues. This report suggests that consumers’ needs cannot be met by the justice system alone. [...]
Response the Scottish Court Service’s consultation ‘Shaping Scotland’s court services: a public consultation on proposals for a court structure for the future.’
1 December 2012
Consumer Focus Scotland, and its predecessor organisation, the Scottish Consumer Council, have campaigned for many years for improvements to be made to the civil justice system to ensure it better meets the needs of its users. We therefore welcome the opportunity to submit evidence to the Scottish Court Service’s public consultation on proposals for a [...]
Consumer Focus Scotland’s response to the Scottish Rural Commission’s consultation
4 November 2012
Consumer Focus Scotland welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the Scottish Rural Commission’s consultation. Consumer Focus Scotland and its predecessor body, The Scottish Consumer Council, have a long history of working to represent the interests of rural consumers, with a particular focus on digital communications, post and energy policy areas. This response draws on [...]
Response to: Better Regulation: Consultation on Proposals for a Better Regulation Bill
26 October 2012
Consumer Focus Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government’s intention to achieve better, rather than less, regulation and to set out a clear vision of what it is trying to achieve. However, while some of the individual proposals detailed in the consultation paper are of merit, we are disappointed at the limitation in this vision “as a [...]