Here are some recent examples of how our business advice service has helped Derbyshire businesses:
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A local food manufacturer became aware of a problem with allergen labelling one of their products destined for distribution across the UK. After examining the product labelling and liaising with the Food Standards Agency we agreed the product could be sold without the need for repackaging costs of several thousands of pounds.
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Our intervention identified that inaccurate and unsuitable weighing equipment was causing a non-food packer to give away substantial quantities of product. Their investment of a few hundred pounds in our advice and the adoption of our recommendations resulted in annual savings of around £7,000 per year.
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A farmer had failed to upkeep his cattle records required by the British Cattle Movement Service. After our assessment of the situation an officer was able to reconcile the cattle on his holding with the relevant animal passports and herd register. As a result the farmer was in a position to provide the necessary information to the Rural Payments Agency, thereby securing his farm subsidy payment.
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A local online retailer of mobile phones was experiencing particular difficulties with returns of damaged phones within the contract cancellation period. The business was incurring significant expense until we were consulted about the problem. We were able to explain that the business could withhold part of the refund value in cases where customer misuse had contributed to the damage.
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Customers of a small car dealer had implied that he must provide a 6-month warranty on all vehicles. We were able to provide tailored advice to the business not only to confirm their legal after-sales responsibilities but also that their obligations did not extend to a blanket warranty.
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Advice from our officers proved crucial when a product made by a local manufacturer was involved in a child fatality. The business had initially been reluctant to add the age warning we suggested, pointing out that none were applied to competitors’ similar products. The fact that the Derbyshire-based business had placed a warning on their product was a key factor in limiting their liability in the eyes of the inquest into the tragic incident.
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It’s a fact that occasionally things go wrong for even the best businesses. Our assessments of local manufacturers’ quality systems have often resulted in recommendations to reduce the impact and expense of product recalls when unexpected problems with internal processes or supplied components are encountered. In many cases we have identified simple steps to help business’ meet their legal obligations more cost-effectively whilst simultaneously reducing their exposure to risk of prosecution for non-compliances.