The jewellery industry is being urged to take action to protect hallmarking, which it is claimed could face abolition as the government launches its drive to reduce red tape.

Currently, all items sold as platinum, palladium, gold or silver in the UK must be hallmarked, regardless of where they are made. Extremely lightweight pieces are exempt.

The Birmingham Assay Office is warning that the industry is under threat because of a government drive to lessen the regulatory burden on the retail sector.

Part of the Red Tape challenge, businesses and members of the public are being invited to tell the government which laws should be scrapped to generate jobs and foster economic growth.

"We believe it is imperative to the current and future UK jewellery industry and the British consumer to maintain hallmarking as a statutory independent service," said Michael Allchin, chief executive and Assay Master at the Birmingham Assay Office.

Hallmarking protects consumers by validating the claims of the makers. It is considered to particularly important as an increasing amount of jewellery is being imported from countries where there is no strong system to guarantee the precious metal content of pieces.

"While in principle we agree that red tape is a bad thing, we don't believe that hallmarking is a red tape regulation," Mr Allchin added.

"The Birmingham Assay Office believes that hallmarking has never been more important to the British jewellery trade and to the consumers it was always intended to protect."

Jewellery industry insiders and members of the public are being urged by the organisation to visit the Red Tape challenge micro-site on the Cabinet Office website to demand that the 700-year tradition of hallmarking is saved.

People have until May 5th to visit the Red Tape challenge site and express their views on hallmarking, which is one of eight key topics up for discussion.

Sources:


Hallmarking under threat in red tape review (12/04/11)


Hallmarking as a legal requirement is once again under scrutiny and threat (12/04/11)

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