THE OXFORD Consumer Group, the oldest of its kind in the country, is to fold after half a century, because it does not have enough youn-ger members.

The group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and has produced shoppers’ guides and campaigned on issues such as keeping public toilets open.

But its officers repeatedly warned that the group’s survival depended on younger people taking up the reins, with many of the leading figures now in their seventies and eighties.

Former membership secretary Ruth van Heyningen, 93, said: “We have decided to fold at the end of the year. The group has been going a long time.

“We have all been getting older, but we have not been getting any young members coming forward.

“People do things differe-ntly now, using the Internet.”

The group was set up before trading standards departments in local authorities were established, to fight for consumers’ rights.

Executive member Patricia Wright, 76, said: “We don’t have sufficient volunteers.”

She said trading standards, managed by Oxfordshire County Council, and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau were being hit by cutbacks just as the group winds down its activities. Postal, health and transport systems have all fallen under the group’s gaze.

Dr Katy Hall, 87, who writes its quarterly newsletter, said: “In 1970 we had 1,200 members. Now this is down to around 150.”

She said: “Early cases investigated included a packet of frozen scampi, which appear-ed to be thawed.

“The upshot was that the public health inspector asked us to keep an eye on freezer cabinets in local shops.

“Since then there have been many important studies and surveys undertaken by us.

“Our shoppers’ guide enabled people to find out the best buys in Oxford, while in recent years, people may remember plans to close many public lavatories.

“Our research showed why this was a bad idea and, along with the many protests of others, we were able to keep many of the threatened toilets open.”