SHOPPERS are being urged by the borough's Trading Standards agency to be cautious of deals which claim to make payments easier.

It is warning against 'Buy Now Pay Later' and 'Interest free' credit deals which can incur huge charges.

These deals mean that a small deposit is made and a monthly direct debit is set up to pay off the remainder, but in some cases the loan will not be paid off at the end of the interest free period and borrowers could end up paying interest as high as 29.9 per cent.

"Many people will take advantage of 'interest free' or 'Buy Now Pay Later' deals whilst shopping for bargains during the January sales," said senior Trading Standards enforcement officer Valerie Ellison. "These deals can make a difference to the cost of buying but it's not so good if you end up paying interest because of a missed payment.

"We would advise anyone who has taken out such a loan to check the details and make a careful note of when final payments must be made."

Studies by Trading Standards officers have found that 77 per cent of traders selling via the internet are failing to inform consumers of their rights.

Although the sites did provide basic information such as an address, telephone number and costs, most failed to provide any information on refund and exchange policies.

"It is very disappointing to see this number of traders not complying which will do nothing to encourage confidence in consumers to shop on the internet," said Trading Standards enforcement officer Lee Wenzel. "I have advised the traders and I am pleased to say, that in general, they have responded positively."