Trade Descriptions Act 1968

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sections 2 to 4 shall have effect for the interpretation of expressions used in this Act

A trade description is an indication, direct or indirect, and by whatever means given, of any of the following matters with respect to any goods or parts of goods, that is to say—

The matters specified in subsection (1) of this section shall be taken—

In this section “quantity” includes length, width, height, area, volume, capacity, weight and number.

Notwithstanding anything in the preceding provisions of this section, the following shall be deemed not to be trade descriptions, that is to say, any description or mark applied in pursuance of— any statement made in respect of, or mark applied to, any material in pursuance of Part IV of the Agriculture Act 1970, any name or expression to which a meaning has been assigned under section 70 of that Act when applied to any material in the circumstances specified in that section . . . any mark prescribed by a system of classification compiled under section 5 of the Agriculture Act 1967 and any designation, mark or description applied in pursuance of a scheme brought into force under section 6(1) or an order made under section 25(1) of the Agriculture Act 1970

Notwithstanding anything in the preceding provisions of this section,

A false trade description is a trade description which is false to a material degree.

A trade description which, though not false, is misleading, that is to say, likely to be taken for such an indication of any of the matters specified in section 2 of this Act as would be false to a material degree, shall be deemed to be a false trade description.

Anything which, though not a trade description, is likely to be taken for an indication of any of those matters and, as such an indication, would be false to a material degree, shall be deemed to be a false trade description.

A false indication, or anything likely to be taken as an indication which would be false, that any goods comply with a standard specified or recognised by any person or implied by the approval of any person shall be deemed to be a false trade description, if there is no such person or no standard so specified, recognised or implied.

A person applies a trade description to goods if he—

An oral statement may amount to the use of a trade description.

Where goods are supplied in pursuance of a request in which a trade description is used and the circumstances are such as to make it reasonable to infer that the goods are supplied as goods corresponding to that trade description, the person supplying the goods shall be deemed to have applied that trade description to the goods.

The following provisions of this section shall have effect where in an advertisement a trade description is used in relation to any class of goods.

The trade description shall be taken as referring to all goods of the class, whether or not in existence at the time the advertisement is published—

In determining for the purposes of this section whether any goods are of a class to which a trade description used in an advertisement relates regard shall be had not only to the form and content of the advertisement but also to the time, place, manner and frequency of its publication and all other matters making it likely or unlikely that a person to whom the goods are supplied would think of the goods as belonging to the class in relation to which the trade description is used in the advertisement.

Where it appears to the Board of Trade necessary or expedient in the interest of persons to whom any goods are supplied that the goods should be marked with or accompanied by any information (whether or not amounting to or including a trade description) or instruction relating to the goods, the Board may, subject to the provisions of this Act, by order impose requirements for securing that the goods are so marked or accompanied, and regulate or prohibit the supply of goods with respect to which the requirements are not complied with; and the requirements may extend to the form and manner in which the information or instruction is to be given.

Where an order under this section is in force with respect to goods of any description, any person who, in the course of any trade or business, supplies or offers to supply goods of that description in contravention of the order shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

An order under this section may make different provision for different circumstances and may, in the case of goods supplied in circumstances where the information or instruction required by the order would not be conveyed until after delivery, require the whole or part thereof to be also displayed near the goods.

Where it appears to the Board of Trade necessary or expedient in the interest of persons to whom any goods are to be supplied that any description of advertisements of the goods should contain or refer to any information (whether or not amounting to or including a trade description) relating to the goods the Board may, subject to the provisions of this Act, by order impose requirements as to the inclusion of that information, or of an indication of the means by which it may be obtained, in such description of advertisements of the goods as may be specified in the order.

An order under this section may specify the form and manner in which any such information or indication is to be included in advertisements of any description and may make different provision for different circumstances.

Where an advertisement of any goods to be supplied in the course of any trade or business fails to comply with any requirement imposed under this section, any person who publishes the advertisement shall, subject to the provisions of this Act. be guilty of an offence.

A requirement imposed by an order under section 8 or section 9 of this Act in relation to any goods shall not be confined to goods manufactured or produced in any one country or any one of a number of countries or to goods manufactured or produced outside any one or more countries, unless—

Where any requirements with respect to any goods are for the time being imposed by such an order and the Board of Trade are satisfied, on the representation of persons appearing to the Board to have a substantial interest in the matter, that greater hardship would be caused to such persons if the requirements continued to apply than is justified by the interest of persons to whom such goods are supplied, the power of the Board to relax or discontinue the requirements by a further order may be exercised without the consultation and notice required by section 38(3) of this Act.

If any person offering to supply goods of any description gives, by whatever means, any false indication to the effect that the price at which the goods are offered is equal to or less than— or is less than such a price by a specified amount, he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

If any person offering to supply any goods gives, by whatever means, any indication likely to be taken as an indication that the goods are being offered at a price less than that at which they are in fact being offered he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

For the purposes of this section—

If any person, in the course of any trade or business, gives, by whatever means, any false indication, direct or indirect, that any goods or services supplied by him or any methods adopted by him are or are of a kind supplied to or approved by Her Majesty or any member of the Royal Family, he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

If any person, in the course of any trade or business, uses, without the authority of Her Majesty, any device or emblem signifying the Queen’s Award to Industry or anything so nearly resembling such a device or emblem as to be likely to deceive, he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

A person shall not be guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) by reason of doing anything that is a commercial practice unless the commercial practice is unfair. In this subsection “commercial practice” has the same meaning as in Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and, for the purposes of this section, a commercial practice is unfair if it would be unfair for the purposes of that Chapter.

For the purposes of this section—

In relation to any services consisting of or including the application of any treatment or process or title carrying out of any repair, the matters specified in subsection (1) of this section shall be taken to include the effect of the treatment, process or repair.

In this section " false " means false to a material degree and " services " does not include anything done under a contract of service.

No prosecution for an offence under this Act shall be commenced after the expiration of three years from the commission of the offence or one year from its discovery by the prosecutor, whichever is the earlier.

Notwithstanding anything in section 127(1) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, a magistrates’ court may try an information for an offence under this Act if the information was laid at any time within twelve months from the commission of the offence.

Notwithstanding anything in section 23 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Act 1954 (limitation of time for proceedings in statutory offences) summary proceedings in Scotland for an offence under this section may be commenced at any time within twelve months from the time when the offence was committed, and subsection (2) of the said section 23 shall apply for the purposes of this subsection as it applies for the purposes of that section.

Subsections (2) and (3) of this section do not apply where—

Where an offence under this Act which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent and connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

In this section “director”, in relation to any body corporate established by or under any enactment for the purpose of carrying on under national ownership any industry or part of an industry or undertaking, being a body corporate whose affairs are managed by the members thereof, means a member of that body corporate.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Any person who, in the United Kingdom, assists in or induces the commission outside the United Kingdom of an act which, if committed in the United Kingdom, would be an offence under section 12 of this Act shall be guilty of an offence.

Where any act or omission constitutes both an offence under this Act and an offence under any provision contained in or having effect by virtue of Part IV of the Weights and Measures Act 1963 or Part IV of the Weights and Measures Act (Northern Ireland) 1967—

Where any act or omission constitutes both an offence under this Act and an offence under the food and drugs laws, evidence on behalf of the prosecution concerning any sample procured for analysis shall not be admissible in proceedings for the offence under this Act unless the relevant provisions of those laws have been complied with. In this subsection " the food and drugs laws" means the Food and Drugs Act 1955, the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956, the Food and Drugs Act (Northern Ireland) 1958 and any instrument made thereunder and " the relevant provisions" means— or any provision replacing any of the said provisions by virtue of section 123 of the said Act of 1955, section 56 of the said Act of 1956, or section 68 of the said Act of 1958.

The Board of Trade may by order provide that in proceedings for an offence under this Act in relation to such goods as may be specified in the order (other than proceedings for an offence falling within the preceding provisions of this section) evidence on behalf of the prosecution concerning any sample procured for analysis shall not be admissible unless the sample has been dealt with in such manner as may be specified in the order.

In any proceedings for an offence under this Act it shall, subject to subsection (2) of this section, be a defence for the person charged to prove—

If in any case the defence provided by the last foregoing subsection involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to the act or default of another person or to reliance on information supplied by another person, the person charged shall not, without leave of the court, be entitled to rely on that defence unless, within a period ending seven clear days before the hearing, he has served on the prosecutor a notice in writing giving such information identifying or assisting in the identification of that other person as was then in his possession.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It shall be the duty of every local weights and measures authority as defined in section 69(3) of the Weights and Measures Act 1985to enforce within their area the provisions of this Act and of any order made under this Act; . . .

Every local weights and measures authority shall, whenever the Board of Trade so direct, make to the Board a report on the exercise of their functions under this Act in such form and containing such particulars as the Board may direct.

For the investigatory powers available to a local weights and measures authority for the purposes of the duty in subsection (1), see Schedule 5 to the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Where a complaint is made to the Board of Trade that all or any of the functions conferred by this Act on a local weights and measures authority are not being properly discharged in any area, or the Board are of opinion that an investigation should be made as to whether those functions are being properly discharged in any area, the Board may cause a local inquiry to be held, and—

The person appointed to hold an inquiry under the preceding subsection shall report the results thereof in writing to the Board of Trade, who shall publish the report together with such observations, if any, as they think fit to make thereon.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nothing in this section shall be taken as authorising a local weights and measures authority in Scotland to institute proceedings for an offence.

A duly authorised officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department may, at all reasonable hours and on production, if required, of his credentials, exercise the following powers, that is to say.—

An officer seizing any goods or documents in the exercise of his powers under this section shall inform the person from whom they are seized and, in the case of goods seized from a vending machine, the person whose name and address are stated on the machine as being the proprietor's or, if no name and address are so stated, the occupier of the premises on which the machine stands or to which it is affixed.

If a justice of the peace, on sworn information in writing— the justice may by warrant under his hand, which shall continue in force for a period of one month, authorise an officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department to enter the premises, if need be by force. In the application of this subsection to Scotland, " justice of the peace" shall be construed as including a sheriff and a magistrate.

An officer entering any premises by virtue of this section may take with him such other persons and such equipment as may appear to him necessary; and on leaving any premises which he has entered by virtue of a warrant under the preceding subsection he shall, if the premises are unoccupied or the occupier is temporarily absent, leave them as effectively secured against trespassers as he found them.

If any person discloses to any person— he shall be guilty of an offence unless the disclosure was made in or for the purpose of the performance by him or any other person of functions under this Act.

If any person who is not a duly authorised officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department purports to act as such under this section he shall be guilty of an offence.

Nothing in this section shall be taken to compel the production by a solicitor of a document containing a privileged communication made by or to him in that capacity or to authorise the taking of possession of any such document which is in his possession.

Any person who— shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

If any person, in giving any such information as is mentioned in the preceding subsection, makes any statement which he knows to be false, he shall be guilty of an offence.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring a person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate him.

Where any goods seized or purchased by an officer in pursuance of this Act are submitted to a test, then— and shall, where as a result of the test proceedings for an offence under this Act are instituted against any person, allow him to have the goods tested on his behalf if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

No proceedings for an offence under this Act, other than an offence under section 28(5) or 29, shall be instituted by a local weights and measures authority unless they have given to the Board of Trade notice of the intended proceedings and either a period of twenty-eight days has elapsed since the giving of the notice or the Board of Trade have before the end of that period issued a certificate under this section.

A notice under subsection (2) of this section must be accompanied by a summary of the facts on which the charges are to be founded.

A certificate of the Board of Trade that a notice under subsection (2) of this section was given on a date specified in the certificate and was accompanied by the summary required under subsection (3) of this section shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was given on that date and was accompanied by such a summary; and any document purporting to be such a certificate and to be signed on behalf of the Board shall be deemed such a certificate, unless the contrary is shown.

The Board of Trade may by regulations provide that certificates issued by such persons as may be specified by the regulations in relation to such matters as may be so specified shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be received in evidence of those matters in any proceedings under this Act.

Such a certificate shall not be received in evidence—

In any proceedings under this Act in Scotland, a certificate received in evidence by virtue of this section or, where the attendance of a person issuing a certificate is required under subsection (2)(b) of this section, the evidence of that person, shall be sufficient evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.

For the purposes of this section any document purporting to be such a certificate as is mentioned in this section shall be deemed to be such a certificate unless the contrary is shown.

Regulations under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Where, in the exercise of his powers under section 28 of this Act, an officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department seizes and detains any goods and their owner suffers loss by reason thereof or by reason that the goods, during the detention, are lost or damaged or deteriorate, then, unless the owner is convicted of an offence under this Act committeci in relation to the goods, the authority or department shall be liable to compensate him for the loss so suffered.

Any disputed question as to the right to or the amount of any compensation payable under this section shall be determined by arbitration and, in Scotland, by a single arbiter appointed, failing agreement between the parties, by the sheriff.

For the purposes of this Act goods shall be deemed to have been manufactured or produced in the country in which they last underwent a treatment or process resulting in a substantial change.

The Board of Trade may by order specify—

In this section " market research experiment" means any activities conducted for the purpose of ascertaining the opinion of persons (in this section referred to as " participants ") of—

This section applies to any market research experiment with respect to which the following conditions are satisfied, that is to say.—

Neither section 1 nor section 8 of this Act shall apply in relation to goods supplied or offered to be supplied, whether to a participant or any other person, in the course of a market research experiment to which this section applies.

Any power to make an order under the preceding provisions of this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument, which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament, and includes power to vary or revoke such an order by a subsequent order.

Any order under the preceding provisions of this Act which relates to any . . .fertilisers or any goods used as pesticides or for similar purposes shall be made by the Board of Trade acting jointly with the following Ministers, that is to say, if the order extends to England and Wales, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and if it extends to Scotland or Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State concerned.

The following provisions shall apply to the making of an order under section 36 of this Act , that is to say—

Any order under the preceding provisions of this Act which relates to any agricultural, horticultural or fishery produce, whether processed or not, food, feeding stuffs or the ingredients of food or feeding stuffs shall be made by the Board of Trade acting jointly with the following Ministers, that is to say, if the order extends to England and Wales, the Secretary of State concerned with health and if it extends to Scotland or Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State concerned.

Before making an order to which subsection (2) or (2A) of this section applies the Board of Trade shall consult the Food Standards Agency.

The following provisions shall have effect, in addition to sections 2 to 4 of this Act, for the interpretation in this Act of expressions used therein, that is to say,—

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This Act shall apply to Northern Ireland subject to the following modifications, that is to say— (2)—(4) . . .

In paragraph (13) of section 4(1) of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 (which excludes, among other things, merchandise marks from the matters with respect to which the Parliament of Northern Ireland has power to make laws) the words " merchandise marks" shall be omitted and shall be deemed never to have been included; but the following provisions of this section shall (in addition to any other limitation) apply with respect to the powers of that Parliament to make laws for purposes similar to those of this Act.

For the investigatory powers available to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland for the purposes of the duty in subsection (1)(b), see Schedule 5 to the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

The Parliament of Northern Ireland shall not have power to make provision requiring any information as to the country of manufacture or production of any goods to be marked on or to accompany the goods or to be included in advertisements except—

If the Parliament of Northern Ireland enacts any law for purposes similar to those of section 7 or section 15 of this Act, any provision of or made in pursuance of that law which would be inconsistent with any provision made (whether before or after the first-mentioned provision) under either of those sections shall be void so far as it would be so inconsistent.

The Board of Trade shall for each financial year pay into the Exchequer of Northern Ireland such sum as the Board and the Ministry of Commerce for Northern Ireland may agree to be appropriate as representing the expenses incurred by that Ministry in enforcing so much of this Act as relates to matters with respect to which the Parliament of Northern Ireland does not have power to make laws.

Nothing in this Act shall authorise any department of the Government of Northern Ireland to incur any expenses attributable to the provisions of this Act until provision has been made by the Parliament of Northern Ireland for those expenses to be defrayed out of moneys provided by that Parliament.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The enactments mentioned in Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in that Schedule.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Until the end of the period of three years beginning with the commencement of this Act the repeals made by this Act shall not affect— and a person who contravenes the provisions of such an Order shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five pounds, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.

Nothing in this Act shall be taken to affect the meaning of the expression " indication of origin " in any such Order in Council.

Her Majesty may by Order in Council vary or revoke any Order in Council made under the said section 2.

Where any requirements with respect to any goods are for the time being imposed by an Order in Council made under the said section 2 and the Board of Trade are satisfied, on the representation of persons appearing to the Board to have a substantial interest in the matter, that the continued application of any of those requirements has caused or is likely to cause injury or hardship to such persons, or any of them, the Board may by statutory instrument direct that the Order, or any particular provisions of the Order, shall cease to apply to those goods or shall apply to such goods subject only to such modifications and conditions as the Board think fit; and where such a direction is in force the Order shall have effect subject to the direction.

Any direction under this section which relates to goods of any description mentioned in subsection (2) of section 38 of this Act shall be given by the Board of Trade acting jointly as mentioned in that subsection.

A direction under this section, if not given for a shorter period or withdrawn earlier, shall cease to be in force at whichever of the following dates is the earlier, that is to say, twelve months after the date on which it was given or the date on which an Order in Council under this section varying the Order with respect to which the direction was given conies into force.

The Board of Trade shall publish any direction given under this section in such manner as they think appropriate.

A draft of any Order in Council to be made under this section shall be laid before Parliament.

The duty of local weights and measures authorities under section 26 of this Act to enforce the provisions of this Act shall not extend to the provisions of this section.

This Act may be cited as the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

This Act shall come into force on the expiration of the period of six months beginning with the day on which it is passed.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sections 2 to 4 shall have effect for the interpretation of expressions used in this Act

A trade description is an indication, direct or indirect, and by whatever means given, of any of the following matters with respect to any goods or parts of goods, that is to say—

The matters specified in subsection (1) of this section shall be taken—

In this section “quantity” includes length, width, height, area, volume, capacity, weight and number.

Notwithstanding anything in the preceding provisions of this section, the following shall be deemed not to be trade descriptions, that is to say, any description or mark applied in pursuance of— any statement made in respect of, or mark applied to, any material in pursuance of Part IV of the Agriculture Act 1970, any name or expression to which a meaning has been assigned under section 70 of that Act when applied to any material in the circumstances specified in that section . . . any mark prescribed by a system of classification compiled under section 5 of the Agriculture Act 1967 and any designation, mark or description applied in pursuance of a scheme brought into force under section 6(1) or an order made under section 25(1) of the Agriculture Act 1970

Notwithstanding anything in the preceding provisions of this section,

A false trade description is a trade description which is false to a material degree.

A trade description which, though not false, is misleading, that is to say, likely to be taken for such an indication of any of the matters specified in section 2 of this Act as would be false to a material degree, shall be deemed to be a false trade description.

Anything which, though not a trade description, is likely to be taken for an indication of any of those matters and, as such an indication, would be false to a material degree, shall be deemed to be a false trade description.

A false indication, or anything likely to be taken as an indication which would be false, that any goods comply with a standard specified or recognised by any person or implied by the approval of any person shall be deemed to be a false trade description, if there is no such person or no standard so specified, recognised or implied.

A person applies a trade description to goods if he—

An oral statement may amount to the use of a trade description.

Where goods are supplied in pursuance of a request in which a trade description is used and the circumstances are such as to make it reasonable to infer that the goods are supplied as goods corresponding to that trade description, the person supplying the goods shall be deemed to have applied that trade description to the goods.

The following provisions of this section shall have effect where in an advertisement a trade description is used in relation to any class of goods.

The trade description shall be taken as referring to all goods of the class, whether or not in existence at the time the advertisement is published—

In determining for the purposes of this section whether any goods are of a class to which a trade description used in an advertisement relates regard shall be had not only to the form and content of the advertisement but also to the time, place, manner and frequency of its publication and all other matters making it likely or unlikely that a person to whom the goods are supplied would think of the goods as belonging to the class in relation to which the trade description is used in the advertisement.

Where it appears to the Board of Trade necessary or expedient in the interest of persons to whom any goods are supplied that the goods should be marked with or accompanied by any information (whether or not amounting to or including a trade description) or instruction relating to the goods, the Board may, subject to the provisions of this Act, by order impose requirements for securing that the goods are so marked or accompanied, and regulate or prohibit the supply of goods with respect to which the requirements are not complied with; and the requirements may extend to the form and manner in which the information or instruction is to be given.

Where an order under this section is in force with respect to goods of any description, any person who, in the course of any trade or business, supplies or offers to supply goods of that description in contravention of the order shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

An order under this section may make different provision for different circumstances and may, in the case of goods supplied in circumstances where the information or instruction required by the order would not be conveyed until after delivery, require the whole or part thereof to be also displayed near the goods.

Where it appears to the Board of Trade necessary or expedient in the interest of persons to whom any goods are to be supplied that any description of advertisements of the goods should contain or refer to any information (whether or not amounting to or including a trade description) relating to the goods the Board may, subject to the provisions of this Act, by order impose requirements as to the inclusion of that information, or of an indication of the means by which it may be obtained, in such description of advertisements of the goods as may be specified in the order.

An order under this section may specify the form and manner in which any such information or indication is to be included in advertisements of any description and may make different provision for different circumstances.

Where an advertisement of any goods to be supplied in the course of any trade or business fails to comply with any requirement imposed under this section, any person who publishes the advertisement shall, subject to the provisions of this Act. be guilty of an offence.

A requirement imposed by an order under section 8 or section 9 of this Act in relation to any goods shall not be confined to goods manufactured or produced in any one country or any one of a number of countries or to goods manufactured or produced outside any one or more countries, unless—

Where any requirements with respect to any goods are for the time being imposed by such an order and the Board of Trade are satisfied, on the representation of persons appearing to the Board to have a substantial interest in the matter, that greater hardship would be caused to such persons if the requirements continued to apply than is justified by the interest of persons to whom such goods are supplied, the power of the Board to relax or discontinue the requirements by a further order may be exercised without the consultation and notice required by section 38(3) of this Act.

If any person offering to supply goods of any description gives, by whatever means, any false indication to the effect that the price at which the goods are offered is equal to or less than— or is less than such a price by a specified amount, he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

If any person offering to supply any goods gives, by whatever means, any indication likely to be taken as an indication that the goods are being offered at a price less than that at which they are in fact being offered he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

For the purposes of this section—

If any person, in the course of any trade or business, gives, by whatever means, any false indication, direct or indirect, that any goods or services supplied by him or any methods adopted by him are or are of a kind supplied to or approved by Her Majesty or any member of the Royal Family, he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

If any person, in the course of any trade or business, uses, without the authority of Her Majesty, any device or emblem signifying the Queen’s Award to Industry or anything so nearly resembling such a device or emblem as to be likely to deceive, he shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence.

A person shall not be guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) by reason of doing anything that is a commercial practice unless the commercial practice is unfair. In this subsection “commercial practice” has the same meaning as in Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and, for the purposes of this section, a commercial practice is unfair if it would be unfair for the purposes of that Chapter.

For the purposes of this section—

In relation to any services consisting of or including the application of any treatment or process or title carrying out of any repair, the matters specified in subsection (1) of this section shall be taken to include the effect of the treatment, process or repair.

In this section " false " means false to a material degree and " services " does not include anything done under a contract of service.

No prosecution for an offence under this Act shall be commenced after the expiration of three years from the commission of the offence or one year from its discovery by the prosecutor, whichever is the earlier.

Notwithstanding anything in section 127(1) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, a magistrates’ court may try an information for an offence under this Act if the information was laid at any time within twelve months from the commission of the offence.

Notwithstanding anything in section 23 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Act 1954 (limitation of time for proceedings in statutory offences) summary proceedings in Scotland for an offence under this section may be commenced at any time within twelve months from the time when the offence was committed, and subsection (2) of the said section 23 shall apply for the purposes of this subsection as it applies for the purposes of that section.

Subsections (2) and (3) of this section do not apply where—

Where an offence under this Act which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent and connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

In this section “director”, in relation to any body corporate established by or under any enactment for the purpose of carrying on under national ownership any industry or part of an industry or undertaking, being a body corporate whose affairs are managed by the members thereof, means a member of that body corporate.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Any person who, in the United Kingdom, assists in or induces the commission outside the United Kingdom of an act which, if committed in the United Kingdom, would be an offence under section 12 of this Act shall be guilty of an offence.

Where any act or omission constitutes both an offence under this Act and an offence under any provision contained in or having effect by virtue of Part IV of the Weights and Measures Act 1963 or Part IV of the Weights and Measures Act (Northern Ireland) 1967—

Where any act or omission constitutes both an offence under this Act and an offence under the food and drugs laws, evidence on behalf of the prosecution concerning any sample procured for analysis shall not be admissible in proceedings for the offence under this Act unless the relevant provisions of those laws have been complied with. In this subsection " the food and drugs laws" means the Food and Drugs Act 1955, the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956, the Food and Drugs Act (Northern Ireland) 1958 and any instrument made thereunder and " the relevant provisions" means— or any provision replacing any of the said provisions by virtue of section 123 of the said Act of 1955, section 56 of the said Act of 1956, or section 68 of the said Act of 1958.

The Board of Trade may by order provide that in proceedings for an offence under this Act in relation to such goods as may be specified in the order (other than proceedings for an offence falling within the preceding provisions of this section) evidence on behalf of the prosecution concerning any sample procured for analysis shall not be admissible unless the sample has been dealt with in such manner as may be specified in the order.

In any proceedings for an offence under this Act it shall, subject to subsection (2) of this section, be a defence for the person charged to prove—

If in any case the defence provided by the last foregoing subsection involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to the act or default of another person or to reliance on information supplied by another person, the person charged shall not, without leave of the court, be entitled to rely on that defence unless, within a period ending seven clear days before the hearing, he has served on the prosecutor a notice in writing giving such information identifying or assisting in the identification of that other person as was then in his possession.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It shall be the duty of every local weights and measures authority as defined in section 69(3) of the Weights and Measures Act 1985to enforce within their area the provisions of this Act and of any order made under this Act; . . .

Every local weights and measures authority shall, whenever the Board of Trade so direct, make to the Board a report on the exercise of their functions under this Act in such form and containing such particulars as the Board may direct.

For the investigatory powers available to a local weights and measures authority for the purposes of the duty in subsection (1), see Schedule 5 to the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Where a complaint is made to the Board of Trade that all or any of the functions conferred by this Act on a local weights and measures authority are not being properly discharged in any area, or the Board are of opinion that an investigation should be made as to whether those functions are being properly discharged in any area, the Board may cause a local inquiry to be held, and—

The person appointed to hold an inquiry under the preceding subsection shall report the results thereof in writing to the Board of Trade, who shall publish the report together with such observations, if any, as they think fit to make thereon.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nothing in this section shall be taken as authorising a local weights and measures authority in Scotland to institute proceedings for an offence.

A duly authorised officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department may, at all reasonable hours and on production, if required, of his credentials, exercise the following powers, that is to say.—

An officer seizing any goods or documents in the exercise of his powers under this section shall inform the person from whom they are seized and, in the case of goods seized from a vending machine, the person whose name and address are stated on the machine as being the proprietor's or, if no name and address are so stated, the occupier of the premises on which the machine stands or to which it is affixed.

If a justice of the peace, on sworn information in writing— the justice may by warrant under his hand, which shall continue in force for a period of one month, authorise an officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department to enter the premises, if need be by force. In the application of this subsection to Scotland, " justice of the peace" shall be construed as including a sheriff and a magistrate.

An officer entering any premises by virtue of this section may take with him such other persons and such equipment as may appear to him necessary; and on leaving any premises which he has entered by virtue of a warrant under the preceding subsection he shall, if the premises are unoccupied or the occupier is temporarily absent, leave them as effectively secured against trespassers as he found them.

If any person discloses to any person— he shall be guilty of an offence unless the disclosure was made in or for the purpose of the performance by him or any other person of functions under this Act.

If any person who is not a duly authorised officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department purports to act as such under this section he shall be guilty of an offence.

Nothing in this section shall be taken to compel the production by a solicitor of a document containing a privileged communication made by or to him in that capacity or to authorise the taking of possession of any such document which is in his possession.

Any person who— shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

If any person, in giving any such information as is mentioned in the preceding subsection, makes any statement which he knows to be false, he shall be guilty of an offence.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring a person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate him.

Where any goods seized or purchased by an officer in pursuance of this Act are submitted to a test, then— and shall, where as a result of the test proceedings for an offence under this Act are instituted against any person, allow him to have the goods tested on his behalf if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

No proceedings for an offence under this Act, other than an offence under section 28(5) or 29, shall be instituted by a local weights and measures authority unless they have given to the Board of Trade notice of the intended proceedings and either a period of twenty-eight days has elapsed since the giving of the notice or the Board of Trade have before the end of that period issued a certificate under this section.

A notice under subsection (2) of this section must be accompanied by a summary of the facts on which the charges are to be founded.

A certificate of the Board of Trade that a notice under subsection (2) of this section was given on a date specified in the certificate and was accompanied by the summary required under subsection (3) of this section shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was given on that date and was accompanied by such a summary; and any document purporting to be such a certificate and to be signed on behalf of the Board shall be deemed such a certificate, unless the contrary is shown.

The Board of Trade may by regulations provide that certificates issued by such persons as may be specified by the regulations in relation to such matters as may be so specified shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be received in evidence of those matters in any proceedings under this Act.

Such a certificate shall not be received in evidence—

In any proceedings under this Act in Scotland, a certificate received in evidence by virtue of this section or, where the attendance of a person issuing a certificate is required under subsection (2)(b) of this section, the evidence of that person, shall be sufficient evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.

For the purposes of this section any document purporting to be such a certificate as is mentioned in this section shall be deemed to be such a certificate unless the contrary is shown.

Regulations under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Where, in the exercise of his powers under section 28 of this Act, an officer of a local weights and measures authority or of a Government department seizes and detains any goods and their owner suffers loss by reason thereof or by reason that the goods, during the detention, are lost or damaged or deteriorate, then, unless the owner is convicted of an offence under this Act committeci in relation to the goods, the authority or department shall be liable to compensate him for the loss so suffered.

Any disputed question as to the right to or the amount of any compensation payable under this section shall be determined by arbitration and, in Scotland, by a single arbiter appointed, failing agreement between the parties, by the sheriff.

For the purposes of this Act goods shall be deemed to have been manufactured or produced in the country in which they last underwent a treatment or process resulting in a substantial change.

The Board of Trade may by order specify—

In this section " market research experiment" means any activities conducted for the purpose of ascertaining the opinion of persons (in this section referred to as " participants ") of—

This section applies to any market research experiment with respect to which the following conditions are satisfied, that is to say.—

Neither section 1 nor section 8 of this Act shall apply in relation to goods supplied or offered to be supplied, whether to a participant or any other person, in the course of a market research experiment to which this section applies.

Any power to make an order under the preceding provisions of this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument, which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament, and includes power to vary or revoke such an order by a subsequent order.

Any order under the preceding provisions of this Act which relates to any . . .fertilisers or any goods used as pesticides or for similar purposes shall be made by the Board of Trade acting jointly with the following Ministers, that is to say, if the order extends to England and Wales, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and if it extends to Scotland or Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State concerned.

The following provisions shall apply to the making of an order under section 36 of this Act , that is to say—

Any order under the preceding provisions of this Act which relates to any agricultural, horticultural or fishery produce, whether processed or not, food, feeding stuffs or the ingredients of food or feeding stuffs shall be made by the Board of Trade acting jointly with the following Ministers, that is to say, if the order extends to England and Wales, the Secretary of State concerned with health and if it extends to Scotland or Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State concerned.

Before making an order to which subsection (2) or (2A) of this section applies the Board of Trade shall consult the Food Standards Agency.

The following provisions shall have effect, in addition to sections 2 to 4 of this Act, for the interpretation in this Act of expressions used therein, that is to say,—

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This Act shall apply to Northern Ireland subject to the following modifications, that is to say— (2)—(4) . . .

In paragraph (13) of section 4(1) of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 (which excludes, among other things, merchandise marks from the matters with respect to which the Parliament of Northern Ireland has power to make laws) the words " merchandise marks" shall be omitted and shall be deemed never to have been included; but the following provisions of this section shall (in addition to any other limitation) apply with respect to the powers of that Parliament to make laws for purposes similar to those of this Act.

For the investigatory powers available to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland for the purposes of the duty in subsection (1)(b), see Schedule 5 to the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

The Parliament of Northern Ireland shall not have power to make provision requiring any information as to the country of manufacture or production of any goods to be marked on or to accompany the goods or to be included in advertisements except—

If the Parliament of Northern Ireland enacts any law for purposes similar to those of section 7 or section 15 of this Act, any provision of or made in pursuance of that law which would be inconsistent with any provision made (whether before or after the first-mentioned provision) under either of those sections shall be void so far as it would be so inconsistent.

The Board of Trade shall for each financial year pay into the Exchequer of Northern Ireland such sum as the Board and the Ministry of Commerce for Northern Ireland may agree to be appropriate as representing the expenses incurred by that Ministry in enforcing so much of this Act as relates to matters with respect to which the Parliament of Northern Ireland does not have power to make laws.

Nothing in this Act shall authorise any department of the Government of Northern Ireland to incur any expenses attributable to the provisions of this Act until provision has been made by the Parliament of Northern Ireland for those expenses to be defrayed out of moneys provided by that Parliament.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The enactments mentioned in Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in that Schedule.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Until the end of the period of three years beginning with the commencement of this Act the repeals made by this Act shall not affect— and a person who contravenes the provisions of such an Order shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five pounds, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.

Nothing in this Act shall be taken to affect the meaning of the expression " indication of origin " in any such Order in Council.

Her Majesty may by Order in Council vary or revoke any Order in Council made under the said section 2.

Where any requirements with respect to any goods are for the time being imposed by an Order in Council made under the said section 2 and the Board of Trade are satisfied, on the representation of persons appearing to the Board to have a substantial interest in the matter, that the continued application of any of those requirements has caused or is likely to cause injury or hardship to such persons, or any of them, the Board may by statutory instrument direct that the Order, or any particular provisions of the Order, shall cease to apply to those goods or shall apply to such goods subject only to such modifications and conditions as the Board think fit; and where such a direction is in force the Order shall have effect subject to the direction.

Any direction under this section which relates to goods of any description mentioned in subsection (2) of section 38 of this Act shall be given by the Board of Trade acting jointly as mentioned in that subsection.

A direction under this section, if not given for a shorter period or withdrawn earlier, shall cease to be in force at whichever of the following dates is the earlier, that is to say, twelve months after the date on which it was given or the date on which an Order in Council under this section varying the Order with respect to which the direction was given conies into force.

The Board of Trade shall publish any direction given under this section in such manner as they think appropriate.

A draft of any Order in Council to be made under this section shall be laid before Parliament.

The duty of local weights and measures authorities under section 26 of this Act to enforce the provisions of this Act shall not extend to the provisions of this section.

This Act may be cited as the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

This Act shall come into force on the expiration of the period of six months beginning with the day on which it is passed.