A History of the Trading Standards Institute

There have been laws on the quantity and quality of goods sold since the Magna Carta was signed in 1215. There were various forms of control involving national and local courts and officials. Indeed, Shakespeare's father was at one time an 'ale conner' who checked the quality of drinks sold by taverns.

Inspectors were appointed to control weighing and measuring equipment in the nineteenth century, but it was not until 1881 that inspectors in Manchester suggested that an Association should be formed to improve uniformity of enforcement and training for members.

Today, the Trading Standards Institute is central to the consumer landscape in the UK. It is now a multi-faceted organisation widely consulted by government and providing services for its members, for consumers and for the wider business community. It devotes considerable resources to informing and lobbying law-makers at national, European and international levels. The Institute has come a long way since its inception, and the evolution of the comprehensive range of roles of both the Institute and its members is the main subject of this book.

Sandy Driskell
Information Officer
Trading Standards Institute.