Campaigns

Our campaign work programme has been carefully developed from our Business Service Plan which in turn has been developed to provide both effective and timely responses to a wide range of important issues which come to the services attention. Typically many of these issues concern the safety of products, related issues around age restricted products such as Vaping products, the misdescription of goods and services and also doorstep crime and scams.

Issues come to the services attention from a wide range of sources including policy and legislation brought into force by Government, concerns expressed by local residents, visitors to the city, elected members, MP's, or intelligence and information received from external partners such as Northumbria Police, HMRC, Public Health England and other trading standard services. 

Information on the main campaigns to be developed through 2025/2026 can be found on the following webpages;

• Illegal Tobacco, Vaping Products and Alcohol
• Doorstep Crime and No Cold Calling Zones
• Charity Donation Fraud
• Sale of Energy Drinks
• Illegal Money Lending and Financial Inclusion Plan

We have also previously conducted specific campaigns on imported cosmetic products, electrical safety, and copycat websites amongst others, and will continue to monitor and take direct enforcement action where any non-compliances are found. 

E-Bikes and E-Scooters Fire Safety Advice

E-bikes and e-scooters are becoming increasingly popular. Most are powered by lithium-ion batteries which can be charged in the home. The use of these batteries in a wide range of household products is becoming increasingly common.

It is important when charging e-bikes and e-scooters, you do so safely to avoid a risk of a fire starting and putting your families and homes at risk.

With an increased use of e-bikes and e-scooters, comes a corresponding fire safety concern associated with their charging and storage. The use of these products is expected to continue to rise. Some fire services and fire investigators have seen a rise in e-bike and e-scooter battery fires.

Currently there is limited data relating to the number of fires, but London Fire Brigade reported 8 fires caused by e-bikes and e-scooters in 2019. This rose to twenty-four in 2020 and fifty-nine by December 2021.

On occasions batteries can fail catastrophically, they can ‘explode’ and/or lead to a rapidly developing fire. For media stories go to: BBC News and Sky News of the 27 July 2023 and the Chronicle of the 31 July 2023. 

For further information go to NFCC and to  access the OPSS safety poster (pdf 203 kb).  

Contact

Trading Standards Service, Directorate of City Operations, Neighbourhoods and Regulatory Services, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH. Email: tradingstandards@newcastle.gov.uk