Advice to help lighten the load Frances Darling is head of business and consumer protection, Homes & Communities, Place Directorate, with Shropshire Council, and its representative on the CEnTSA management board Welcome to the Spring 2023 edition of TSBN, the first of four editions we hope to bring you between now and the end of the year. Undoubtedly, its an extremely challenging time for many businesses, as they continue to face up to the economic impact of the energy crisis, ongoing inflationary pressures, rising interest rates, and the wider cost-of-living concerns that are eroding already-low consumer confidence. These are clearly matters that businesses cannot ignore but, equally, there are no simple solutions. Nevertheless, businesses continue to work incredibly hard to navigate a successful route through these challenging times. Unfortunately, the TSBN team does not have a magic wand that can bring about a swift end to the current situation in the UK, but we hope the advice in this and future editions can ease the challenges around regulatory compliance at least. Businesses continue to work incredibly hard to navigate a successful route through these challenging times In this edition, we have a wide range of topics, starting with advice for small business start-ups, including sourcing credit. There is a focus on food safety and hygiene, promotion placement and waste, plus a look at the importance of health and safety training and welfare around workplace temperature. There are articles with a product-safety theme, covering electrical products, CE marking and construction products, as well as guidance on fire-safety precautions. We also highlight the latest scams targeting businesses, and offer guidance on how to protect yourself, and look at ways firms can help fight illegal moneylending and bring to justice the criminals involved in this despicable activity. With the coronation of King Charles III on 6 May, we remind businesses of their responsibilities around complying with trademark rules. We also examine how firms can recruit staff with the correct skills, as well as upskill their existing staff, to address the difficulties businesses are having in this area, particularly in hospitality and catering. Finally, for the poultry sector, there is the latest position on avian flu. I hope you will agree that, once again, the hardworking TSBN team has brought together a broad range of articles that will prove useful. So, please read on for the detail, and feel free to circulate this and future editions to other organisations and your colleagues. Until next time, For further information, please contact your local Trading Standards Service For up-to-date news stories and information, follow us on