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    Consumer standards - females in audience clapping
    • Impact Story
      Quality

    Sharing Consumer Insight to Create a More Sustainable and Inclusive Society

    Putting the consumer at the heart of thinking is helping companies from all sectors develop products and practices that promote safety and trust.

    Testimonial

    “Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world, promoting and protecting the interests of consumers is vital.” 

    Nikki Stopford Consumer Forum Chair
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    The People

    Leveraging the BSI Consumer Forum

    Bringing together organizations from across the consumer protection landscape to share invaluable insight about topical consumer issues.

    The Forum assembles many important stakeholder organizations including the Consumer and Public Interest Network (CPIN), which provides the independent voice of the UK consumer in the development of British Standards.

    The Challenge

    Keeping pace with the needs of consumers

    Digital and technological transformation, coupled with unprecedented global events like the pandemic, is changing the way we all live, work and consume.

    With this acceleration and the accompanying pressure to get into the market quickly, having standards in place is more important than ever for companies of all sizes.

    Consumers are an essential part of the standards community. With behaviour so fluid, and trends moving fast, and trends moving fast, it's critical that the consumer voice be heard, and experience taken into account.

    More about NSB
    The Solution

    Capturing the voice of the consumer

    The Consumer Forum includes consumer groups, charities, regulators, and government departments to ensure the widest and strongest representation

    Members have expertise in general consumer issues, specific topics (for example, electrical safety) or the needs of particular consumer groups.

    The Consumer Forum members work together to:

    • Take a strategic view on consumer issues
    • Explore potential standards solutions
    • Guide the CPIN's priorities
    • Provide the consumer perspective to BSI's standards committees

    Putting consumers at the heart of decision-making

    The BSI Consumer Forum plays a key part in delivering consumer protection both in the UK and in developing markets throughout the world.

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      Provides a united focus for organizations at the forefront of empowering and protecting consumers

    • home

      Strengthens the consumer voice in standards by sharing emerging trends and data

    • plus

      Protects consumers from unsafe products

    • tick

      Improves product recall systems for consumers

    • Icon description

      2015: UN Guidelines updated to include e-commerce and inclusivity

    How capturing the voice of consumers has transformed since 1950

    The journey of the 'consumer voice' and the Consumer and Public Interest Network (CPIN) has evolved over the last 70 years. Notable dates include:

    • 1951: First mobilization of the Women's Advisory Committee, the foundation for the CPIN

    • 1957: Launch of the Consumer's Assocation, later to become Which?

    • 1975: New National Consumer Council established by government to give a voice to UK consumers

    • 1985: United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection published

    • 2015: UN Guidelines updated to include e-commerce and inclusivity

    Testimonial

    “Standards are vital in helping to protect children and reassuring parents that what they are buying is safe.” 

    Katrina Phillips Chief Executive, Child Accident Prevention Trust
    Consumer standards - business people listening at conference
    Why BSI

    Leading the standards conversation

    Alongside legislation and education, standards are a vital part of the toolkit for proactively protecting consumers.

    Would you or your organization like to contribute to standards in development? We welcome new members to our networks (both organizational and individual) and are keen to hear from consumer champions with a wide range of knowledge and experience.

    Contact Us

    Promote safety and trust

    BSI improves the quality and safety of products and services through creating and promoting standards. Contact us to find out what we can do for you.

    Get in touch
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