New and second hand car prices have fallen

This year, the human resources consultancy ECA said we were now the fourth most expensive country in the EU.

Now that shouldn't surprise the serious shopper one little bit.

All year we've been getting a bad deal, whether it is motor traders selling us expensive cars, publicans serving us short measures, cowboy builders pulling a fast one or lenders failing to reveal the full cost of a mortgage.

Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers has promised to do something about it, but like so many of the rogue traders he pledged to crack down on, he didn't finish quite finish the job.

New cars have got cheaper, amendments to existing laws will ensure a pint is what it says it is and trading standards officers have more powers to combat the cowboy builders.

Consumer power

However, Mr Byers failed to convince his cabinet colleagues that the Consumer Bill should be included in the Queen's Speech.

Consequently, many measures will have to wait until there is room in the legislative programme.

Those cabinet colleagues would do well to take a peek across the Atlantic.

Shoppers may not be getting the bargains they think they are

The veteran environment and consumer campaigner Ralph Nader won 2.8 million votes in the US presidential elections.

Many believe it was this swing which snatched victory from Al Gore.

Now we don't have such a figurehead in the UK, but there is a growing band of people putting their foot down.

It is hardly the most expansive gesture of power but it is a start.

What has riled many is the prospect that financial security might be snatched from them.

Cash windfalls

The Consumers' Association is calling for a public inquiry into the UK life insurance industry.

The association failed to stop Axa from sharing part of a �1.7bn surplus from orphan assets among its shareholders instead of just policyholders.

Earlier, Equitable Life, one of the world's oldest insurers, closed its doors to new business leaving policyholders facing an uncertain future.

Endowment policyholders have also been hit

The association warns that if nothing is done by the government, there could be a crisis bigger than the pensions mis-selling scandal.

There may be bigger and tougher new watchdogs about to guard our interests, but consumers are starting to realise they have to act.

To date, six million home owners have received letters saying their endowment policy may not pay off their original loan.

The Financial Services Authority says it is not going to investigate the crisis.

It is up to individuals to prove they were mis-sold a product and pursue compensation.

Shoddy service

Many are doing just that. The Financial Services Ombudsman says the volume of complaints has risen dramatically in the past six months.

In the year that Victor Meldrew was laid to rest, the great British public finally did believe it was being ripped off and given a shoddy service.

The good news is that they can also do something about it.