Rogue Traders

More than half of small businesses (53%) believe their profits are hit by rivals using unfair sales practices, new research reveals. A Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform study found that of these, 10% estimate rogues are costing them more than a fifth of their revenue. A fifth of small business leaders say they have worked somewhere they felt used such practices and over 10% admit to being actively encouraged by previous employers to use questionable tactics to make a sale. The government hopes the Consumer Protection Regulations—which are due to come into force on 26 May—will tackle the problem. The new consumer laws will ban 31 types of unfair sales practices.