What can I do about a shop that over charges people ?

Question

I live in a village and there is a petrol station that is well know for over charging people and they charge you for stuff you don't want. Everyone has had enough of it. Is there anything we can do about it?

I live in England.

Answer 1

Firstly, you have to be careful about terminology.  The term over-charging means that they are charging more than the price that THEY say it is.  For example if you by 3 products one for 60p, one for 70p and one for 80p then that comes to £2.10.  If they charge you £2.40, THAT is over-charging.  

If as I suspect, they are not over-charging but are simply demanding extortionate prices then, legally there's not a lot you can do about it.  By buying the product, you have agreed to pay that price.

All I can suggest is that if you have someone in the village looking for work, then why not start up a home delivery service where he goes to the nearest supermarket and buys products for the village and charges a small fee for his services.  If, as you say, everyone has had enough, he won't go short of customers and after a while, you'll probably see his prices coming down.  

Answer 2

Over charging is skimming the till, it doesn't show up on receipts and if you don't say something there and then it isn't provable. Trading Standards don't deal with theft and the shop price structure is the shops business. If you don't want to pay their prices you have to shop elsewhere.

As you are a collective body of villagers, the solution would be to form a cooperative not for profit shop and undercut the petrol station.

Suggest you bring it up at the next Parish council meeting and see who wants to run with the ball.

Edit: Having recently watched Hot Fuzz, can I suggest you bring it to the attention of the local Bobby. Over charging or skimming off the top of the till is theft.

Charge £5 for £4.50 worth of goods and put 50p in your pocket from the till when the customer leaves - AKA theft!

Answer 3

report it to trading standards. they usually have offices some where in towns

Answer 4

Have a word with Trading Standards, you will find them in the telephone directory. It is an offence under the Sale of Goods Act to charge more than the price stated. Our local garage in the village had the petrol pumps "fixed" so you weren't getting a full litre, Trading Standards prosecuted them.

Answer 5

yes...write to their Head Office & go to your local newspaper...they might send a reporter to test out your story...you can embarrass them - i would!

Answer 6

www.tradingstandards.gov.uk   There is a postcode search facility to find the right authority

Answer 7

Go out late at night and do their windows!

Answer 8

Report them to your local Trading Standards department.  Call the council offices for contact details as Trading Standards will be situated there.

Answer 9

What do you mean by "Overcharging"? Do you mean that their prices are high? If this is the case then there is nothing you can do, the shopkeeper can charge what they like for items -  it's up to you to decide whether you're willing to pay the asking price. If you don't like it then the only options you have are shop somewhere else or put up with it.

If you mean that an item has a price on it and then the shopkeeper charges you more than the stickered price that's a different matter. If you are overcharged in this instance then you request the shopkeeper to pay back to you the overpayment. You can only get help from official sources if you have a receipt and proof that the price was lower than what you were charged.

Answer 10

Yes Darling, don't go there.

Answer 11

You have to be really confident. When they overcharge you for something, you have to have back up to tell them, for example, if they charge you £3 for a toothbrush, then tell them you could get one from Tesco's for 60 pence. You could also tell the council to change the shop or lower the prices. Get all the people that you can that dislike the shop, and persuade the council to change it. They really are quite persuadable if you push them a bit.

Answer 12

Don't go to that shop. Simple really.

Edit : A store can sell anything for whatever price it wants to. If it clearly prices a loaf of bread for £3 and you pick it up and take it to the counter, then that is what you pay!

Obviously it is not ok for them to charge you for stuff you haven't had. Stand up for yourself, go in with your brothers or friends etc .... and kick up a fuss.

Answer 13

This is called a monopoly.  I is common practice when there is a lack of competition for the prices to be higher.

You can find somewhere else in some other community to d your shopping.  As you find places with decent pricing, organize car pools, bus trips, to those good priced places.  Place an ad in local news paper about what you are doing, invite other people to join you in a boycott.

If you are lucky you might end up with a competitor in town.  Otherwise, you drive this place out of business, no place in town to shop, everyone hates you.