I can't find the pdf guide to The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 as it appears that its offline as the OFT update their website. It has some cracking examples of what you can and can not do.
Its uses examples such as a salesman standing between a customer and a doorway so they can not leave freely. So what happens when a potential customer is in a hospital bed and can't leave freely then?
I do however have the list, minus examples, of what are classed as aggressive practises:
Aggressive commercial practices
7.?(1) A commercial practice is aggressive if, in its factual context, taking account of all of its features and circumstances?
(a)it significantly impairs or is likely significantly to impair the average consumer?s freedom of choice or conduct in relation to the product concerned through the use of harassment, coercion or undue influence; and
(b)it thereby causes or is likely to cause him to take a transactional decision he would not have taken otherwise.
(2) In determining whether a commercial practice uses harassment, coercion or undue influence account shall be taken of?
(a)its timing, location, nature or persistence;
(b)the use of threatening or abusive language or behaviour;
(c)the exploitation by the trader of any specific misfortune or circumstance of such gravity as to impair the consumer?s judgment, of which the trader is aware, to influence the consumer?s decision with regard to the product;
(d)any onerous or disproportionate non-contractual barrier imposed by the trader where a consumer wishes to exercise rights under the contract, including rights to terminate a contract or to switch to another product or another trader; and
(e)any threat to take any action which cannot legally be taken.
(3) In this regulation?
(a)?coercion? includes the use of physical force; and
(b)?undue influence? means exploiting a position of power in relation to the consumer so as to apply pressure, even without using or threatening to use physical force, in a way which significantly limits the consumer?s ability to make an informed decision.
There are also clear breeches if Bounty are using misleading information (such as saying you can't get the CB elsewhere) under clauses about misleading people.
So like I say, I don't give a shit if you are a nice or nasty Bounty sales rep. If you are approaching someone in a hospital bed you are breaking trading standards and its about bloody time someone started questioning whats going on, and started actually using these regulations as its clear as day there is a problem here.