Election 2010 Coalition Government : Consumer Protection

The Government believes that action is needed to protect consumers, particularly the most vulnerable, and to promote greater competition across the economy. We need to promote more responsible corporate and consumer behaviour through greater transparency and by harnessing the insights from behavioural economics and social psychology.

* We will give regulators new powers to define and ban excessive interest rates on credit and store cards; and we will introduce a seven-day cooling-off period for store cards.

* We will oblige credit card companies to provide better information to their customers in a uniform electronic format that will allow consumers to find out whether they are receiving the best deal.

* We will introduce stronger consumer protections, including measures to end unfair bank and financial transaction charges.

* We will take forward measures to enhance customer service in the private and public sectors.

* We will introduce, as a first step, an Ombudsman in the Office of Fair Trading who can proactively enforce the Grocery Supply Code of Practice and curb abuses of power, which undermine our farmers and act against the long-term interest of consumers.

* We will introduce honesty in food labelling so that consumers can be confident about where their food comes from and its environmental impact.

* We will increase households’ control over their energy costs by ensuring that energy bills provide information on how to move to the cheapest tariff offered by their supplier, and how each household’s energy usage compares to similar households.

* We will give Post Office Card account holders the chance to benefit from direct debit discounts and ensure that social tariffs offer access to the best prices available.

* We will seek to extend protection and support to ‘off-grid’ energy consumers.

Full Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government Agreement

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Banking

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Business

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Civil Liberties

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Communities and Local Government

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Consumer Protection

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Crime and Policing

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Defence

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Deficit Reduction

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Energy and Climate Change

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Equalities

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Europe

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Families and Children

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Foreign Affairs

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Government Transparency

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Immigration

Election 2010 Coalition Government : International Development

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Jobs and Welfare

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Justice

Election 2010 Coalition Government : National Security

Election 2010 Coalition Government : NHS

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Pensions and Older People

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Political Reform

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Public Health

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Schools

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Social Action

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Social Care and Disability

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Taxation

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Transport

Election 2010 Coalition Government : Universities and Further Education

The Coalition: our programme for government © Crown copyright 2010