CAMPAIGNERS have accused Trading Standards of failing to act after they discovered gloves being sold at a Worcester shop, which were labelled as fake fur, were actually real.
Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies told the Observer they had to pay to get the gloves privately tested as they claim Worcestershire Trading Standards refused to test them.
Members of the group bought the gloves at the end of last year from a shop in the city centre and were assured by the shop owner that the fur trim on the gloves was fake.
However, after being unconvinced the fur was fake and following Trading Standard’s alleged refusal to test them, the group sent the gloves to Respect for Animals for testing.
The results found the fur on the gloves was real and the shop has since stopped selling them.
A spokesperson for Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies said they are now concerned Trading Standard’s is not ‘fulfilling its duty’ to protect consumers.
“We are concerned that in Worcestershire real fur is being sold as fake fur and that Trading Standards is doing nothing it.
“We are worried by the increasing number of incidents of real fur being passed off as fake, and we feel that Trading Standards is not fulfilling its duty to protect consumers.
“Most people know that fur farming is illegal in this country and would be horrified if they bought real fur because they had been misled.
“Unfortunately it’s not illegal to import fur and most imported fur is produced by barbaric methods such as skinning alive.
“The Humane Society International is calling for a Fur Free Britain. So now is a good time for people to contact their MP’s about the problem of fur.”
In response, a spokesperson for Worcestershire Trading Standards said: “All businesses must ensure that the goods they sell are accurately described.
“Traders must not describe their goods as faux fur, either verbally or in writing, if they are unsure that this is the case.
“Businesses must get assurances in writing from their suppliers if they want to ensure that they are only supplied with faux fur products.
“It is not illegal to sell real fur products but these should not be mis-described.
“We would be happy to receive information from Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies in relation to the Worcestershire business that is alleged to have sold faux fur and the test results they obtained.”
