Over 20 million illegal products prevented from reaching consumers. In excess of £42 million in consumer harm prevented. More than 1,100 people prosecuted for criminal offences. That’s just three of the biggest achievements of local trading standards services over the last year.

These figures are from a new report by the Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers, The Value of Trading Standards Report, which for the first time reveals the impact across England and Wales of the work of local trading standards services. The report highlights the varied work of trading standards officers, ranging from protecting consumers from dangerous products to supporting scam victims to tackling food fraud and celebrates the successes that local authority services deliver.