Which?
Which? November 1966
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| Categories | Consumer |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | The Consumers' Association |
| First issue | October 1957 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Website | http://www.which.co.uk/ |
Which? is a brand name used by the Consumers' Association, a registered charity (No. 296072) and company limited by guarantee (No. 580128), which is based in the United Kingdom. It exists to promote informed consumer choice in the purchase of goods and services by testing products, highlighting inferior products or services, raising awareness of consumer rights and offering independent advice. The association owns several businesses, including Which? Financial Services Limited (Which? Mortgage Advisers), Which? Legal Limited, and Which? Limited, which publishes the Which? magazine.
The vast majority of the association's income comes from the profit it makes on its trading businesses, for instance subscriptions to Which? magazine, which are donated to the campaigning part of the organisation to fund advocacy activity and inform the public about consumer issues. Which? magazine maintains its independence by not accepting advertising and the organisation receives no government funding. The Consumers' Association is the largest consumer organisation in the UK, with over 573,000 subscribers to its magazine.
Until 2006 the association used prize draws similar to Reader's Digest's to attract subscribers, but following criticism they were discontinued. The Association now attracts subscribers to its publications with free mini-guides and trial offers.
The organisation was set up in 1957 as a response to the changing values and concerns of the post-war era, at a time of rapid changes in product markets and consumer behaviour – and a corresponding growth in sharp trading practices. To combat this, 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.
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. Its central aim was to improve the standard of goods and services available to the public in the UK. 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.
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