Trust policy
Review basis
UK Shortlists uses review-basis labels to show what supports a recommendation. The label matters because structured research, source-backed specification checks, hands-on use, and long-term testing are not the same thing.
The labels we use
- Structured desk review
- Organised comparison using public product information, category criteria, merchant listings, and editorial judgement.
- Spec-verified comparison
- Key claims are checked against manufacturer or merchant-listed specifications where those sources are available.
- Evidence-supported comparison
- Structured research is supported by independent review patterns, buyer feedback themes, or multiple corroborating sources.
- Hands-on checked
- Used only where UK Shortlists has direct product experience and the page explicitly says what was checked.
- Long-term tested
- Used only where there is documented extended use over time. One long-term experience should not be treated as universal proof.
What the labels do not mean
- Structured desk review does not mean hands-on testing.
- Spec-verified comparison does not mean independently measured performance.
- Evidence-supported comparison does not mean UK Shortlists personally tested every product.
- Hands-on checked does not automatically mean long-term durability testing.
- Affiliate availability does not count as product evidence.
Why this matters
A useful buying guide should make its evidence level visible. When UK Shortlists has not directly tested a product, the page should not imply that it has. When data is uncertain, the safer answer is to show the limitation or leave the value unstated rather than guess.
See also the Testing & Evidence Policy and Editorial Policy.