Our statement of editorial independence

We have no hidden agenda

Our rigorous tests and expert recommendations help consumers to make better decisions, and we carry out this work with no hidden agenda. We fund our work mainly through member subscriptions, pay for the products we test, have no shareholders to answer to and aren't influenced by advertisers.

We decide what we test

The only people who decide what we test and review are our researchers and editors, and their decisions are based on what our members, and consumers more generally, are interested in. No company can influence us to test its products. And because we buy the products as any shopper would, no company can stop us from testing what we want to test. We then tell you about the best products we've tested and flag the products you should avoid.

We know about product launches early on

It's useful for us to speak to companies so that we can find out early on about forthcoming launches of new products and services - it's how we're able to give our readers the best and most up-to-date information about them. We have these conversations for editorial reasons only.

We tell companies what we think

We're happy to explain to companies why we've said what we've said about their products or services. How often we speak to them, or how helpful they are (or aren't), makes no difference to what we say - our reviews and recommendations (or warnings) are based solely on the results of our own lab tests of products, and on our fair and objective research, analysis and assessment of services.

We want businesses to work better with consumers

Our advocacy teams often engage with companies on issues that may or may not be related to our tests and reviews as we seek to improve how businesses and sectors can work better for consumers. Our corporate relationships don't influence what we cover and what we say, although we may report on this work if we think it could be useful for consumers to know.

We endorse the best products we test

You may have seen our white oval-shaped Which? Best Buy and Which? Recommended Provider endorsement logos on ads and posters and on TV. They reinforce our brand name by reminding consumers that they can trust our recommendations, they recognise good businesses, and they encourage better products and services.

We charge companies to use our endorsement logos

After we've independently bought, tested and rated products to be high-performing enough to be Best Buys, and after we've assessed and rated services to be good enough for us to make them Recommended Providers, the companies behind these products and services can, for a fee, use our endorsement logo on their marketing materials.

Our editorial teams have absolutely nothing to do with this commercial relationship - it's a final and completely separate stage of the process run by a totally separate Which? Endorsements Team. Companies that pay to use our logos are not treated any differently when it comes to editorial decisions - what we say about any company is based entirely on our research and the judgements of our researchers and editors. Read more about our symbols, logos and ratings.

We earn money from affiliate relationships

Our content is relevant to what consumers need to know in order to purchase products and services with confidence. We try to make buying the right product or service as easy as possible for them by including links from our website so they can go on to make a purchase.

We sometimes earn a small commission, known as affiliate revenue, when a person follows these links. This is a final stage of the process and has no bearing on the links we include or the products and services we cover. Find out more about our affiliate relationships.