I worked as a press officer for the UK’s consumer champion Which?, gaining high profile media coverage about its campaigns, investigations and industry insight.
I led on one of the hottest subjects of 2022 – travel – and secured 1,141 pieces of coverage in the first half of the year alone, including on the front page of the Times, Metro and Express. These stories reached 105.4 million people, excellent exposure for Which? and for its calls for reforms and better passenger rights.
The happy looking holidaymakers pictured below saw their fortunes disappear after their flights home were cancelled by EasyJet. I teamed up with a stories officer to explain how their rights had been flouted in potential breach of consumer laws. Their experiences showed there’s a systemic problem of airlines disregarding the law as they know they won’t face any consequences; this is why Which? has been calling for the UK’s travel regulator to be given direct fining powers so it can hold carriers to account. My press release on this was covered widely in the Telegraph, Mirror p22, Express p21, Mail p29, Sky News, Sun, iNews, LBC and City AM, as well as on LBC and Times Radio.
From July 2022 I worked on Which?’s response to the cost of living crisis and personal finance. I wrote sharp lines about the shocking level of food inflation, compiled press releases on topics ranging from pension freedoms to satisfaction with living standards, and lined up appearances for the money magazine’s editors on radio and television including BBC Breakfast and You & Yours on Radio 4.
Sam Petherick portfolio 