Trading standards operations manager Keith Regan with Bottesford car boot market owner Mick Emmerson PHOTO: Tim Williams

The organisers of Bottesford car boot sale have signed up to a partnership with Leicestershire County Council’s Trading Standards Service to keep their event free from fake goods.

The partnership is part of the national ‘Real Deal’ campaign aimed at keeping sellers of fake goods away from markets and car boots sales.

Due to the success with some of the county’s town markets, the scheme is now being rolled out to car boot sales across the county – but only when a car boot operator has demonstrated they are committed to and can comply with the scheme, including working with Trading Standards to keep their car boot sale fake free.

Councillor Pam Posnett, cabinet member for Trading Standards, said: “We are pleased to be able to accept Bottesford car boot into the scheme. By signing this pledge, the operators are assuring consumers that they won’t sell counterfeit goods, which are more often than not of poor quality and, on occasions, unsafe and dangerous.”

Mick and Julie Emmerson organise Bottesford car boot sale. Mick said: “It was an easy decision to sign up to Real Deal with Leicestershire Trading Standards. The guidelines set out were already being used by us at Bottesford for years.

“We don’t want fake or contraband goods on our site. We have been established for years and our customers, buying or selling, tell us it’s the best boot sale in the area. They call us the friendly car boot sale. I can’t see why anyone running legitimate markets or car boots would not want to sign up to Real Deal.”

David Bull, head of Leicestershire Trading Standards,
said: “The campaign is proving to be a real success and provides consumers with confidence that they are purchasing genuine goods.”