BBC TV's Fake Britain programme - highlighting the illegal and unsafe mattresses on sale through major high street retailers - has catapulted the National Bed Federation's (NBF) new Code of Practice and Mark of Approval into the limelight.
The Code has been designed to encourage good practice in the industry and reassure retailers, specifiers and consumers that they can buy 'NBF Approved' beds with confidence, safe in the knowledge that what they buy is safe, clean and honest.
"We are delighted to be in a position where we can respond to consumers and retailers concerns with our new code," says Jessica Alexander, executive director of the NBF. "Membership of the NBF is now dependent on compliance with the code, and to achieve that compliance every NBF manufacturer member has been independently audited against the code's strict criteria, covering flammability, cleanliness of fillings and trade descriptions."
The official Code of Practice launch to consumers takes place on Monday 17th February, giving the industry sufficient time to be properly prepared. NBF manufacturers are being urged to get their NBF Approved logos onto retailers' shopfloor models as soon as possible, as the campaign will be backed with extensive PR and national newspaper advertising – to generate as much press coverage, both on and offline, as possible.
"Our campaign will focus not just on a flammability angle but the growing problem of 'man with a van' scams where old, used mattresses are being recovered by unscrupulous dealers and sold 'as new,'" says Jessica.
"We've already received numerous enquiries from retailers on how they can support this campaign following the Fake Britain programme, which is great news – we need the retailers support to help stamp out bad practice in the industry."
The NBF is working hard to get our comprehensive retailer promotional packs ready for the end of January. These will be available to download from the retailer-dedicated website (a resource website for retailers selling beds which is packed with useful ideas, promotional tools and advice) and will include press releases and images to artwork for posters, stickers, web banners, leaflets and even a social media editorial calendar.
