Which?

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Which? is a product-testing and campaigning charity with a magazine and website run by Which? Ltd (formerly known as the Consumers' Association, which is still the official name of the charity). Based in the United Kingdom, it engages in advocacy campaigns on various consumer protection issues and aims to promote informed consumer choice in the purchase of goods and services, by testing products, highlighting inferior products or services, and raising awareness of consumer rights. It maintains its independence by not accepting advertising or freebies; everything bought for testing is paid for at full price. Which? is funded entirely by its subscribers and has no shareholders.

Which? carries out systematic testing of consumer products and financial services, the results of which are published in reports in the magazine. The Which? 'Best Buy' label is well-known and respected by industry and consumers. Tests are carried out on consumer items like electrical goods, cars, and computers, as well as health and financial services, and supermarkets. Testing highlights issues such as reliability and value-for-money.

The magazine also raises awareness of trading it believes goes against the interests of consumers. It offers advice on consumers' legal rights and reports on legal cases where it has fought for members' rights. In the May, 2003 issue, for example, the back page featured a couple who won compensation from their credit card firm after purchasing a poor holiday. Another case featured was a life assurance company which had not maintained customer records properly and was forced to pay compensation. Which? also communicates regularly with the OFT and recently brought a "supercomplaint" against private dentists in the UK. In the past, Which? has been criticised for its use of junk mail prize draws, similar to Reader's Digest, to gain additional subscribers and since mid-2006 prize draw was discontinued ^[1]. New subscribers are now attracted via free mini-guides and trial offers.

Which? Ltd produces several other specialist publications apart from the main Which? magazine. These include Holiday Which?, "Which Money?", Computing Which? and Gardening Which?. It also publishes several books including The Good Food Guide and Giving and Inheriting.

Which? also provides a telephone legal advice service and recently launched an energy switch service named "Switch with Which?".

Today, Which? is the largest consumer organisation in the UK, with over 650,000 members.

[edit] History

After rationing ended in the early 1950s, post-war Britain rapidly embraced the newly-found consumerism, but were increasingly faced with a confusing array of competing products. Michael Young, research director for the Labour Party proposed setting up a "Consumer Advisory Service" to be considered for the party's 1950 manifesto, only to be rejected by Harold Wilson. However, encouraged by the efforts of Dorothy and Ray Goodman in the United States, Young continued to push the idea and in October 1957 the first Which? magazine was published from a converted garage in Bethnal Green.^[2]

The publication started as a small 32-page magazine that included reports on electric kettles, sunglasses, aspirin, cake-mixes, scouring powders, no-iron cottons and British cars. Its subscription numbers increased steadily and in 1970 they moved to a purpose-built facility in Milton Keynes.

Which? has its headquarters in Marylebone Road, London. Its customer service division is based in Hertford. In 2007 the organisation celebrated its 50th anniversary.