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National Consumer Awareness Week 2026

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23 February 2026

This week is National Consumer Awareness Week 2026.

 

This an annual campaign aiming to:

  • Raise awareness and understanding with consumers on how to shop wisely, what to look out for, and what to do if things go wrong;
  • Educate consumers on their rights, particularly when shopping from online marketplaces;
  • Empower consumers to seek a remedy if things go wrong; and,
  • Raise awareness of where consumers can go if they need more advice and help with an issue. 

 

The theme this year is ‘shopping online safely’; helping consumers be #ShopAware when online shopping, focusing specifically on buying clothes / footwear online. 

 

Our consumer service data shows that complaints around clothing and footwear grew from 14,620 in 2024 to 17,744 in 2025, a 21% increase; with trader websites and apps being the purchase method for the majority of clothing and footwear complaints. 

 

The advice shared throughout this week, especially through our social media (@CAAcrossWarks), will ensure consumers feel supported and confident when shopping for clothing online. 

 

Out top three messages for consumers are:

  1. Do your research - Before you buy anything, read reviews on different websites and read any terms and conditions.
  2. Know your rights - It’s the seller’s responsibility to make sure your item is delivered to you. 
  3. Know what to do if something goes wrong, before you buy - You might be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement. 

 

If you want to know more about the campaign, or access campaign resources, go to:  https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/information/national-consumer-campaign/ .

 

If you want to find out more about consumer rights in general, go to our advice pages at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/ .

 

Finally, if you want to ask consumer questions or report poor consumer behaviour, call our Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133. 

If you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say using Relay UK: 18001 then 0808 223 1133.

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Lines are closed on bank holidays.

End.

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