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Consumer News UK Daily Web Articles Thur Mar 04 2010

Thu, 2010-03-04

1.  UK consumer confidence hits 2 year high, says Nationwide.

UK consumer confidence reached a two-year high in February, as sentiment was buoyed by the news that the country had exited recession, says a survey just released by Nationwide. The Nationwide says its consumer confidence index rose to 80 last month, its highest figure since January 2008, and double February 2009's figure. The report says consumers are also now more confident about how the economy will develop as 2010 progresses. The UK emerged from recession during the last three months of 2009. The latest revised official figures have shown that the economy grew by 0.3% in this period.  FULL STORY (bbc.co.uk)

2.  The Credit Crunch: Cost of banks bail out may hit £140 billion says FSA - far higher than other official projections.

Britain's top financial watchdog, Lord Turner, head of the Financial Services Authority, has warned that the cost of bailing out the banking sector could be as much as £140 billion. His £70bn-£140bn estimate is significantly higher than other official projections. FULL STORY (dailymail.co.uk)

3.  British consumers waste £52 billion on gadgets they don't know how to use.

The average Briton only uses half of the functions available on their gadgets, according to new research conducted on behalf of Sky HD. Almost half of the 3,000 people questioned by One Poll did not know that their HD-ready television needed to be connected to a high-definition device, such as a Blu-ray DVD player or HD service, in order to enjoy high-definition pictures. Only a quarter of men will ask for help with their gadgets, compared to 47 per cent of women. Almost two thirds of women will read the product manual when problems occur, compared to 54 per cent of men. Ten per cent of IT experts admitted to hitting a gadget in order to try and make it work properly. FULL STORY (telegraph.co.uk)

4.  Government vows to get 7.5m more people on line by 2014.

The Government has just launched the Digital Participation Plan.  Low-income households and the elderly will be the primary targets as the National Digital Participation Plan seeks to cut the number of people without internet access by 60 per cent. The Government has pledged to get another 7.5 million people online by 2014. There are currently some 12.5 million people around the country who don't have internet access.  The scheme  will be supported by 60 public and private organisations, including Google, the BBC and Sky.   FULL STORY (itpro.co.uk)

5.  USA: huge web scam fleeces thousands of brides to be.

Thousands of brides-to-be in the US have been scammed by a website advertising a fake bridal show. The criminals used the site to steal from the women who were lured by chances to win "fabulous gifts and prizes", police and FBI experts said. A site called The Boston 411 invited would-be brides and potential sellers to a non-existent Spring Home and Bridal Show at the Hynes Convention Centre at the weekend, police in Massachusetts said. Around 6,000 people and vendors signed up, paid registration fees and bought floor space through the website, which promised elegant wedding displays, demonstrations and samples, they said. But, cruelly,  there just was no Bridal Show.  FULL STORY (Associated Press)

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