ROUND-UP l Something the customer is – such as fingerprint, facial recognition or iris scan. If you have any doubts about how to comply – or what your current payment provider is doing to ensure they comply – contact them direct. Credit: Bob Charnley, Trading Standards consultant iStock.com / alexialex ROUND-UP l l Provide or arrange for the boarding of Make a date to authenticate Businesses that sell online will have to take heed of new legislation that is due to come into force on 14 September. The strong customer authentication (SCA) part of the Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) will take effect on this date. PSD2 allows bank customers to give third- party providers access to their bank accounts to retrieve data and use it to initiate payments directly. While this directive will affect banks and other payment providers, it will also have an impact on e-commerce businesses. SCA is a mandatory component of PSD2 and was developed to improve the security of transactions for merchants and consumers. It requires businesses to provide card issuers with two-factor authentication during a transaction. Payments must be authenticated using at least two of three elements: l Something the customer knows – such as a password, PIN or security question The legal life of pets Since 1 October 2018, under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations, it has been law in England to have a licence to: cats or dogs (including in kennels or catteries, home boarding for dogs and day care for dogs) Hire out horses Breed dogs Keep or train animals for exhibition. These include: l Having a suitable environment l Receiving a suitable diet l The ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns l Being housed with, or apart from, other animals l Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published statutory codes of practice for cats and dogs. Those with control of the animals must ensure they comply with these. Where there is suspicion of ill health, veterinary advice and treatment should be sourced as a matter of urgency. Failure to comply with licensing, animal welfare and consumer protection regulations compromises the welfare of animals being sold and is a criminal offence, punishable on conviction by heavy fines and/or imprisonment. It may also lead to a disqualification from owning or keeping animals. Credit: Stephanie Young – Trading Standards officer iStock.com / ProjectB l l l Sell animals as pets If you sell animals as pets, you also need to comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. When describing animals for sale, you must not engage in misleading commercial practices. Any advertising must be truthful and not likely to cause the average consumer to take a purchasing decision that they would not otherwise have taken. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, you may be committing an offence if you don’t take all reasonable steps to ensure the needs of an animal for which you are responsible are met. WORKPLACE WELLBEING There is evidence that looking after your employees has long-term benefits for your business, including less sickness absence, better staff retention, and an improved work-life balance for them– all of which can save you money. Active wellbeing programmes at work, encouraging good physical and mental health, are recognised as contributing to a happier, more active and engaged workforce. As the pension age rises, and more people aged 60-plus stay in employment, it makes sense to encourage healthier lifestyle choices through work. Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated. Some easy, cost-effective initiatives introduced by a wide range of businesses include: a weekly walking group; yoga; nutrition and healthy diet advice; portable table tennis; a ‘fruit day’; alcohol, smoking and drugs information; and local gym vouchers. Many of these activities offer opportunities for charity sponsorship, which adds another feelgood factor. An employee ‘survey’ can help you identify the right activities for your business. Programmes can be worker- or management-led, but do need full management support if they are to be really successful. Many local authority public health teams now offer free accreditation schemes – based on Public Health England guidance – to support companies interested in such wellbeing programmes. Worcestershire Works Well scheme, for example, has its own annual awards for best practice, while the West Midlands Combined Authority is trialling a Thrive at Work programme, at bronze, silver and gold levels. Credit: Helen Cameron – Environmental Health officer iStock.com / ProjectB For further information please contact your local Trading Standards Service Something the customer has – such as a phone, hardware token or other device in their possession AUTUMN 2019 ROUND-UP