Citizens Advice Telford & the Wrekin

Nationally Citizens Advice is now helping someone with a fashion‑related issue every seven minutes, after receiving almost 18,000 complaints last year about clothing, shoes and accessories. [citizensad...ice.org.uk]

The vast majority of these problems stem from online shopping, which accounted for 82% of all complaints. People reported items turning up faulty, arriving late, looking completely different from the photos — or not arriving at all. Women’s clothing caused the highest number of issues, making up almost half (48%) of all complaints. [citizensad...ice.org.uk]

A significant concern highlighted in the press release is the rise in retail scams. One in 13 complaints involved shoppers who thought they were buying from UK‑based companies due to how the seller presented themselves online. Instead, customers often ended up with poor‑quality items and were told to pay expensive return fees to send the goods overseas. [citizensad...ice.org.uk]

To see how problems like this can impact clients lives, please visit the article here: [citizensad...ice.org.uk]

How CAST Supports Local Shoppers in Telford & Wrekin

Here at Citizens Advice Telford & Wrekin, our CAST (Citizens Advice Scams Team) project regularly helps people facing similar issues.

Through CAST, we support local residents to:

• Understand their consumer rights
• Spot misleading retailers and scam red flags
• Know what steps to take if a purchase goes wrong
• Get advice early to avoid unnecessary costs or stress

If something feels “off” with a retailer — or you think you’ve been misled or scammed — please get in touch with us as soon as possible. Early support can make all the difference when trying to recover money or challenge a seller.

CAST is here to help you stay safe and informed when shopping online.