A cursory scroll through any social media feed is likely to reveal adverts promoting unscrupulous businesses, says Simon Williams, head of marketing and membership at the National Bed Federation (NBF) – but, when it comes to beds at least, action is being taken to help ensure the consumer doesn’t fall foul of problematic products …
I’m not a prolific user of social media, although, like many people of a similar age, I do have a Facebook account. I would prefer to delete my account, but I’m a member of a number of groups and clubs who use it to communicate with members. So, in order to keep in touch with those groups, I have to put up with all the advertisements that dominate the platform nowadays.
We all know that our conversations are monitored by our mobile devices, so we can be targeted by companies selling their products or services – hence the adverts I receive for products to relieve joint pain or digestive issues. However, I’m clearly dedicated to my trade, as my account is full of ads from companies selling mattresses and beds!
Whilst some of these ads are from companies and brands that are quite well known, the majority are from companies that I’m not familiar with, offering what appears to be high-specification beds and mattresses at amazingly low prices. The ads look very professional, as do the associated websites. Many people have commented how pleased they are with the products. I’m tempted to purchase.
Fortunately, the NBF has an ongoing programme of due diligence testing, enabling us to buy products anonymously and carry out independent flammability tests, as well as checking that the products supplied comply with the trade descriptions act – they are as advertised. We don’t just buy non-NBF member products, we carry out exactly the same process on our members’ products.
Sadly, our most recent data shows that more than 50% of the non-NBF member products purchased failed the flammability tests and had major trade description issues. Put bluntly, consumers are being ripped off, purchasing unsafe products that bear little or no resemblance to the advertised product.
Of course, most consumers will be blissfully unaware of this as they settle down for a night’s sleep in their new bed. After all, they can’t see what’s inside their mattress.
So, what’s being done about it? Where we have the evidence, we notify the retailer of our findings and suggest they investigate the matter with their supplier. However, in some cases, the retailer is also the manufacturer, operating under different names.
We also send our reports to our Primary Authority, West Yorkshire Trading Standards. Since we launched our due diligence testing programme in 2018, as a result of our reports, trading standards have carried out more than 80 site inspections, resulting in 40% of the businesses being given advice that has brought them back to the straight and narrow. They have carried out numerous follow-up visits, carried out their own test purchases and taken formal enforcement procedures where necessary.
Through our consumer-facing bedadvice.co.uk website and social media channels, we warn of the potential pitfalls of buying from unknown companies that advertise on Facebook, as well as the ‘back of the van’ traders that continue to operate around the country. We promote the importance of buying from reputable retailers, and to look for products made by approved NBF members.
We encourage bed retailers to join our Retail Champions scheme, providing them with in-store and digital PoS, together with online promotional toolkits to help inform their customers of the benefits of buying NBF-approved brands. Their details are also listed on the bedadvice.co.uk website, where consumers can search for their nearest Retail Champion.
