What we do

We will:

  • Respond to complainants by independently investigating and checking compliance to industry standards and performance claims within the UK marketplace
  • Engage with market participants and relevant Authorities and industry bodies to pursue incorrect or false product quality and standards, with focus being placed on education and/or undertaking of remedial action to improve compliance
  • Ensure its engagement incorporates a ‘right of reply’
  • Raise market awareness through publicly reporting findings from its investigations on the quality of lubricants sold in the market
  • Promote the importance of lubricant quality and performance specifications within every UK lubricant market
  • Advise VLS members, VLS participants, industry bodies and relevant authorities on case outcomes
  • Where remedial or corrective action is not undertaken, VLS will provide relevant information to industry bodies and relevant Authorities to  take  necessary action
  • Welcome membership from all industry participants

We will not:

  • Publicise information concerning non-compliant products without having attempted to seek engagement with the producer or marketer concerned and not without independent verification
  • Intentionally create barriers to entry to VLS for anti-competitive purposes
  • Eradicate lower price value products which carry correct specification claims
  • Seek to gain or make public confidential information from both members or non-members and not use such confidential information for any use other than the day-to-day business of VLS to investigate a case

VLS offers:

  • Greater effectiveness in achieving compliance
  • Objective, credible and cost effective process
    – single focus on task with appropriate checks and balances
    – established and tested process
    – anonymity and confidentiality maintained
  • Complete Independence
    – independent sampling and testing
    – independent investigation and report
  • Access to wider industry expertise
    – case anonymously and independently reviewed by panel of industry experts
  • Ability to engage industry participants and drive corrective action
    – independent organisation avoids competitive issues
  • Communication to wider industry audience
    – greater share of “voice” and ability to reach out

VLS (UK) Ltd | UKLA House | 13 Chess Business Park | Moor Road | Chesham | Bucks HP5 1SD | UK | 01442 875922 | admin@ukla-vls.org.uk