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Key contacts

Trading standards (business)
Essex County Council
New Dukes Way Office
2 Beaufort Road
Dukes Park Industrial Estate
Chelmsford, CM2 6PS

Telephone: 0845 603 7626

0845 calls to Essex County Council are charged at BT landline standard rate. Please check with your provider as other tariffs may vary.

Policies and procedures

Trading Standards operates under policies and procedures that outline how we work. Where it is appropriate, we are committed to publishing these policy and procedural documents so that both businesses and consumers can clearly understand how we operate.

The following documents are available here:

Consumer Advice Policy

This policy provides details of the service consumers can expect from Essex Trading Standards.

Education Policy 

This policy relates to the provision of education services available to consumers and businesses in relation to Trading Standards legislation.

Enforcement Policy

This policy covers all aspects of Essex County Council’s trading standards enforcement activities.

Home Authority Principle

The Home Authority Principle (HAP) helps local authorities work together with businesses to provide consistent and coordinated trading standards and food enforcement services across the UK. The Home Authority relationship assists businesses that have multiple outlets in more than one local authority and distribute goods and/or services beyond the boundaries of one local authority.

Information Sharing Policy

The Information Sharing Policy outlines the circumstances under which Essex Trading Standards will share information with other agencies.

Inspection Policy

The Inspection Policy outlines how Essex Trading Standards staff will carry out physical visits in order to check compliance with trading standards related legislation.

Discretionary Services Charging Policy

The Discretionary Services Charging Policy outlines how Trading Standards staff will determine whether it is appropriate to charge for giving advice to businesses.