BBC consumer coverage rewards PRs who bring a documented victim, a named company and a paper trail. It punishes those who bring a campaign slogan. This guide shows how to pitch BBC Consumer Issues reporters with the evidence and access they need to say yes.

The beat sits at the intersection of money, regulation and ordinary life. Expect scams and fraud, energy and water bills, broadband and mobile contracts, subscriptions and trap pricing, holidays and refunds, food prices and shrinkflation, insurance disputes, rogue traders and second-hand car complaints.

Stories usually hang on a decision by a regulator or ombudsman — CMA, FCA, Ofcom, Ofgem, Ofwat, the Financial Ombudsman — or on a change in consumer law. Without that anchor, you have a complaint, not a story.

BBC output spans national news, BBC Breakfast, Radio 4's Money Box, local radio and regional TV. That multi-platform reach is why case studies matter more here than anywhere else.

There is no single consumer desk — the beat is distributed across network news, radio and the nations and regions. A workable BBC Consumer Issues reporters list blends a small number of network names with regional specialists like Lewis Adams, whose reporting often feeds national follow-ups.

Build your list by tracking bylines, not job titles. Search recent consumer stories, note who wrote them, and log their beat focus, platform and preferred story shape in your CRM. Refresh monthly; BBC roles move and beat remits shift with the news agenda.

BBC Consumer Issues journalists are not looking for awareness campaigns. They need a named person harmed, a sum of money lost, a company that did not respond, and a regulator with jurisdiction.

• Case-study first. Lead with "we can put you in touch with a 34-year-old in Leeds who lost £2,400." Anonymised or hypothetical examples are ignored.
• Receipts over rhetoric. Emails, contract clauses, ombudsman rulings and recorded calls turn a complaint into a verified story.
• Scale, then story. Pair one strong case with FOI data, a survey of 1,000+ consumers or regulator statistics — the anecdote opens, the number proves.
• Public interest framing. Show who else is affected and what remedy exists. "Our product is better" is not a consumer story.
• Company right of reply. Tell the journalist you can supply the company's comment, or that the company has already responded on record.

Verified BBC Consumer Issues journalists contacts come from bylines, the BBC press office and programme team pages — never from scraped lists. Send a single, tight email: subject line with the story, three sentences of substance, and the case study offer in the first paragraph.

Never mass-CC a newsroom. BBC reporters work fast, so pitch before 11am on a weekday with everything needed to publish attached. If your story needs a right of reply, say so — it signals editorial literacy.

Respect impartiality. Avoid brand superlatives, "as seen in", discount codes or free-product hooks; they read as promotional and will kill the pitch in one line. Offer your spokesperson for Radio 4 and BBC Breakfast formats, not just written comment.

Everything must be on the record and attributable. Anonymity, unless legally necessary, will stall the story at the compliance stage.

1. One-line story — who lost what, how much, and what the company did.
2. Named case study — media-ready, pre-briefed, contactable within the hour.
3. Evidence pack — contracts, emails, complaint reference, ombudsman decision.
4. Scale data — one credible stat with a source and date.
5. Company line — on-record comment, or confirmation you can obtain it.
6. Relevant specialist — check the BBC Consumer Issues reporters list and match beat, region and platform.
7. Right contacts — verified BBC Consumer Issues journalists contacts only, one email, no CC list.
8. Timing hook — regulator ruling, price rise, bill season or payday.
9. Broadcast readiness — a spokesperson briefed for radio and TV, not just quotes.
10. One chase — follow up once, then move on and keep the contact warm for the next ruling.