Trading standards officers warn of misleading leaflets
Trading standards officers are warning residents to beware of misleading leaflets that are being put through their doors that ask for clothes donations.
The leaflets request spare and unwanted clothes so that they can be distributed to needy people in the developing world and eastern Europe.
Many people mistakenly believe that these leaflets are being circulated by charities. In reality, they are being distributed by commercial firms that are collecting clothes in order to sell them.
One firm in particular is known to have been delivering pamphlets and leaflets to homes in the borough in recent weeks.
Olonex Ltd's leaflets may resemble those produced by charities but it is a wholly commercial organisation. Another company engaged in this trade, which was active in Wandsworth earlier this year, is Kosta Ltd.
The leaflets are not illegal and the firms are not breaking the law because they do not actually say they are collecting for charity. However trading standards officials are warning that the clear intention is to make people think they are charitable enterprises.
Wandsworth's chief trading standards officer Les Eames said: "The flyers use the sort of language that you would expect to find on those produced by a charity. They say things like 'thank you for helping us to help others'. Unfortunately the only people being helped here are the company's owners and directors - not the poor and needy of the developing world."
The advice given is to throw the leaflets in the bin or if you do donate clothes be aware that you are not supporting the work of charities.
For information on consumer rights telephone trading standards on (020) 8871 6177.
October 22, 2004
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