Penygroes Company Sign Up To Gwynedd Trading Standards Campaign

Owner of the Lock up Self storage company with John Eden Jones from Gwynedd Council’s Trading Standards Unit ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Penygroes company sign up to Gwynedd Trading Standards campaign ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A Penygroes firm is the first self-storage company in Gwynedd to sign up to a national campaign that aims to tackle the storage of illegal goods. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The ‘Lock Up Self Storage’ company from Penygroes have signed-up to the ‘Tick Box: Keep it Real, Keep it Legal’ code of practice. It is a national initiative run by the Trading Standards Institute and administered locally by Gwynedd Council’s Trading Standards Unit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In order for the company to be considered for the scheme, the company has gone through a detailed audit process where they have agreed to prohibit the storage of illegal goods including counterfeit items and non-duty paid alcohol or tobacco. The company have also been able to show that they have robust ID checks in place requiring those looking for a self – storage facility to show a photograph ID and proof of address. In order for the company to be considered for the scheme they will also have a system in place for reporting suspicious activity to enforcement bodies such as Trading Standards, HMRC or the Police. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The code of practice has been introduced following a series of visits by Trading Standards Officers in Wales to self–storage facilities, resulting in the seizure of counterfeit perfume, clothing and tobacco. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris Jones, owner of Lock up Self storage said: “I’m pleased to be part of this code of practice and look forward to working closely with Trading Standards in addition to other enforcement agencies in Gwynedd.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

John Eden Jones from Gwynedd Council’s Trading Standards Unit added: “Our Unit has long worked with local businesses in order to assist them in complying with trading regulations. The Tick Box campaign is another excellent example of a partnership between Trading Standards and a local business which will offer protection to both the trader and customers alike.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​