Government crackdown on ‘cowboy’ Covid test providers

Friday, 23 Aug, 2021 0

Dozens of Covid travel test firms which listed on the government’s website are on notice over misleading pricing and will be given a two-strike warning.

It affects 82 firms while a further 57 companies will be kicked off the government list.

This is because they no longer exist or do not provide the relevant tests.

The government will also conduct spot checks on test firms.

The measures were announced by Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

"It is absolutely unacceptable for any private testing company to be taking advantage of holidaymakers and today’s action clamps down on this cowboy behaviour," he said.

"If they advertise misleading prices ever again, they’re off."

The minister said spot checks will ensure they ‘follow the rules and meet high standards of transparency.’

"There should not have been providers listed on the Gov.uk website that don’t exist. We found this in our first investigation in April, when providers were telling us that the system would collapse if larger numbers of people were travelling," Rory Boland, travel editor at Which? told the BBC.

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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

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