Which?

Which? is the public-facing brand of the Consumers' Association, a UK registered charity and company limited by guarantee focused on improving the quality, safety and fairness of goods and services. It is best known for Which? magazine and its digital services, which combine laboratory and comparative testing with consumer research, investigations and practical buying advice. The organisation was established in 1957 amid rapid post-war changes in household consumption and growing concern about misleading or exploitative trading practices. Its first magazine, produced from a converted garage in Bethnal Green, tested everyday products and explained their relative performance to readers. The publication adopted a deliberately independent model: Which? does not accept ordinary advertising, and subscription and commercial income is used to support the Consumers' Association's consumer-interest work. The organisation says it receives no government funding. Which? has expanded from household-product testing into a broad range of consumer markets, including cars, personal finance, insurance, travel, technology, gardening, energy, telecommunications, food, home improvement and professional services. Its research evaluates factors such as reliability, safety, performance, usability, energy efficiency and value, depending on the product or service. High-scoring products may receive a Best Buy endorsement, while other labels include Great Value, Eco Buy, Recommended Provider and Don't Buy. Businesses may license qualifying marks for packaging and marketing, but the underlying assessments are based on Which? research and testing. The brand also operates advice and comparison services, newsletters, a subscription website and app, and the Which? Trusted Traders scheme. Trusted Traders can use the associated identity after undergoing checks that include business, financial, administrative, criminal-record and customer-reference assessments. Earlier commercial initiatives included Which? Mortgage and Insurance Advisers and the Switch with Which? energy comparison service; the financial-advice business operated until 2019, while the energy service was launched in the mid-2000s. Advocacy is a central part of the brand rather than an ancillary activity. Which? has campaigned on product safety, unfair contract terms, banking, nuisance calls, broadband quality, rail services, cash-machine access, energy pricing and fraud reimbursement. Through the Consumers' Association it can also submit statutory super-complaints about markets that appear not to be working properly for consumers. Its influence has therefore extended beyond publishing into lobbying, regulatory submissions, public investigations and pressure on individual companies to recall or remedy unsafe products. The business has faced the structural pressures affecting print publishing, including declining print circulation and changing subscription habits. In response, Which? has expanded paywalled online content, free newsletters and digital tools, while diversifying revenue through licensed endorsements, partnerships and other commercial activity. These activities are presented as supporting the charitable and campaigning mission. Which? remains principally a UK institution, with a large subscriber base and a public role combining consumer journalism, testing, advice and advocacy.

Which? originated in the consumer movement of the 1950s. Michael Young, then associated with the Labour Party, had proposed a consumer advisory service for a political manifesto, but the idea was not adopted. Encouragement from Dorothy Bruchholz Goodman and Raymond J. Goodman helped him continue developing the concept, leading to the creation of the Consumers' Association and the first Which? magazine in October 1957. Edited initially by Eirlys Roberts, the 32-page publication tested ordinary consumer goods and sought to raise standards through information rather than advertising. Membership grew rapidly. By 1959 it had reached approximately 150,000, and the organisation established a membership-services office in Hertford. Which? helped found the International Organisation of Consumer Unions in 1960, an organisation later known as Consumers International. Its editorial coverage broadened through a car supplement in 1962, Motoring Which? in 1965 and Money Which? in 1968. Unusual early tests included budgerigar seed, contraceptives, paper dresses and household products, illustrating the brand's willingness to examine everyday purchasing decisions systematically. In 1970, Which? acquired buildings in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, and created its own testing laboratories for domestic appliances, do-it-yourself equipment and consumer electronics. The 1970s also marked a stronger campaigning posture. The organisation addressed lead poisoning, aircraft noise, tobacco contents and other public-interest issues. It operated more than 120 consumer advice centres in 1977–78, but these closed after government funding was withdrawn in 1980. Product-safety and transport campaigning became particularly influential. Car-safety testing contributed to pressure for compulsory seat-belt use in front seats, introduced in 1983. Which? also supported legislative measures concerning lead-free paint, safer electric blankets, unfair contract terms, food and drugs, and the supply of goods and services. In 1985 it campaigned for a Toyota Space Cruiser recall. The organisation continued combining comparative testing with investigations into companies and sectors whose practices it considered harmful to consumers. The brand experimented with specialist and younger-audience publications. Check It Out!, aimed at people aged 11 to 15, launched in 1992 but closed in 1994. Testing facilities moved to Milton Keynes in 1995, and most testing activity was contracted out from 2002. Which? Online launched in 1996, adding digital content, email, an internet service and a members' forum. In 2004 the trading organisation was rebranded publicly as Which?, while the Consumers' Association retained ownership and its legal identity. The organisation expanded its digital and commercial activities during the 2000s. Switch with Which? launched in 2005 as a free energy-tariff comparison service and received Energywatch Confidence Code accreditation in 2006. Which? also developed specialist publications and later digital advice across technology, travel, cars, money and gardening. Commercial endorsement licensing, partnerships and the Trusted Trader scheme provided additional income while the organisation maintained its policy that commercial activities should support consumer-interest work. Campaigning intensified in the 21st century. Which? challenged bank charges for cash-machine use, pressed for compensation where broadband speeds were materially below expectation, supported the creation of an independent Rail Ombudsman, sought penalties for nuisance calls, and advocated protections for free-to-use cash machines. It used the Consumers' Association's statutory super-complaint powers on issues including private dentistry, care homes, banking, card-payment surcharges and authorised push-payment fraud. In 2019 it campaigned for a large Whirlpool washing-machine recall and consumer remedies. More recently it supported action against unpredictable mid-contract telecommunications price increases and continued to lobby on insurance, fraud and essential services. Print publishing has faced falling circulation and subscription pressures, so Which? has developed a stronger online presence, including paywalled content, newsletters, digital tools and app-based advice. The modern brand consequently operates as a hybrid of subscription publisher, testing and research organisation, consumer campaigner, comparison-service provider and commercial licensor. Its core identity remains the use of evidence and independent assessment to help UK consumers make decisions and to influence regulators, legislators and businesses.

• 2019

  Whirlpool washing-machine recall campaign

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Which? pressed Whirlpool to recall more than 500,000 potentially unsafe washing machines and provide remedies.

• 2013

  Which? Trusted Traders launches

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  The scheme began accrediting tradespeople who passed business and customer-focused checks.

• 2005

  Switch with Which? launches

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  A free online energy comparison service was introduced after energy-market deregulation.

• 2004

  Trading organisation adopts Which? branding

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  The commercial organisation was publicly rebranded as Which?, while Consumers' Association remained the owner.

• 1996

  Which? Online launches

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  The organisation introduced an early online service incorporating digital content and a members' forum.

• 1983

  Front-seat seat-belt use becomes compulsory

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Which? car-safety work helped build support for compulsory front-seat seat-belt use.

• 1970

  Own testing laboratories established

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Facilities were created in Harpenden to test appliances, DIY equipment and consumer electronics.

• 1960

  Helps establish Consumers International

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Which? contributed to the founding of the International Organisation of Consumer Unions, later Consumers International.

• 1959

  Membership reaches 150,000

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Rapid early growth led to the creation of a membership-services office in Hertford.

• 1957

  First Which? magazine published

  [1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  The first issue was produced in Bethnal Green and established the brand's model of comparative product testing and consumer advice.

Independent, evidence-based consumer testing, advice and advocacy without conventional advertising.

• Consumer magazine · 1957

  Which? magazine

  The flagship subscription publication, launched in 1957. It combines comparative product testing, investigations, consumer-rights reporting and buying advice. The magazine does not accept conventional advertising, supporting its editorial-independence positioning.

• Digital consumer advice · 1996

  Which? website and app

  A subscription-led digital service containing reviews, test results, investigations, advice guides, alerts and consumer-rights information. Which? also uses free newsletters and online material to reach non-subscribers.

• Product endorsement · 1958

  Best Buy

  An endorsement awarded to products that achieve a sufficiently strong result in Which? testing. Licensees may use the Which? identity and mark on packaging, advertising and other promotional material.

• Trader accreditation · 2013

  Which? Trusted Traders

  A paid accreditation and directory service for tradespeople. Applicants undergo assessments that can include financial-health checks, business and administrative checks, DBS checks and customer references.

• Energy comparison · 2005

  Switch with Which?

  A free online service launched to help consumers compare gas and electricity tariffs following market deregulation. It received Energywatch Confidence Code accreditation in 2006.

• 2006

  Criticism of prize-draw subscription recruitment

  The Consumers' Association discontinued prize draws used to attract subscribers after criticism of the practice.

  Source

Read more

• 2019Whirlpool washing-machine recall

  United Kingdom

  Which? investigated fire risks associated with affected Whirlpool washing machines and called for a broad recall and refunds or other remedies.

  Outcome. Whirlpool recalled more than 500,000 washing machines.

  Source
• 2018Independent Rail Ombudsman

  United Kingdom

  Which? campaigned for an independent mechanism to handle rail passenger complaints.

  Outcome. An independent Rail Ombudsman was created.

  Source
• 2017Automatic compensation for poor broadband speeds

  United Kingdom

  Which? advocated automatic compensation for customers whose broadband service failed to meet promised performance levels.

  Outcome. The campaign contributed to the adoption of automatic compensation arrangements.

  Source
• 2000Free cash-machine access

  United Kingdom

  Which? campaigned against banks introducing charges for using cash machines.

  Outcome. The campaign supported continued protection of free cash-machine access.

  Source
• 1983Seat-belt safety campaign

  United Kingdom

  Which? used car-safety testing and consumer advocacy to support compulsory front-seat seat-belt use.

  Outcome. Front-seat seat-belt use became compulsory in 1983.

  Source

• 2013

  Launch of Trusted TradersOther

  Background

  Consumers needed more reliable ways to identify reputable tradespeople.

  Action taken

  Which? created a paid assessment, licensing and directory scheme for qualifying traders.

  Aftermath

  The scheme expanded Which?'s role from publishing and testing into service-provider accreditation.

  Source

• 2004

  Public rebranding as Which?Strategy

  Background

  The Consumers' Association operated trading businesses and sought a clearer public-facing identity.

  Action taken

  The trading organisation adopted the Which? brand while the charity retained the Consumers' Association name and ownership role.

  Aftermath

  Which? became the principal consumer-facing identity for the organisation's publishing and commercial activities.

  Source

• 2025

  Which? files super-complaint on UK home and travel insurance markets[1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  Which? submitted a formal complaint to the Financial Conduct Authority alleging systemic weaknesses in claims handling and sales processes in home and travel insurance.

• 2024

  Which? reports substantial non-subscription commercial revenue[1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Which? reported that commercial activity, including licensed endorsements and related services, generated £21 million in non-subscription revenue and supported its charitable activities.

• 2023

  Which? ranked among the world's most subscribed paywalled news publications[1]Which?en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Press Gazette placed Which? 18th in its ranking of the world's most subscribed paywalled news publications, reflecting the scale of its subscription-based digital publishing operation.

1. 1Which?en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Which? official websitewhich.co.uk