skip to main content

Login IconLogin / Member Area / Consumer Helpline delivered by Citizens Advice 0808 223 1133

1 Sylvan Court Sylvan Way SS15 6TH Basildon, Essex, UK
Journal of Trading Standards, Online Edition - JoTS Online

Welcome to the Journal of Trading Standards online edition, JoTS Online. Browse through our latest Articles - including Analysis, Opinion Pieces, Features and a selection of articles from our acclaimed print journal.

Although many JoTS Online articles are open access (public), others are exclusive to CTSI Members - in which case, you'll need to login to access them. If you aren't a member of CTSI yet, you can join us here. And, if you'd like to contribute articles or suggest topics for us to cover, please email our Editorial Team.


Latest JoTS Online Articles : 

News Category Tags: Crime, Product Safety, Health and Safety, Counterfeit Goods, Retail, Animal Health and Welfare, Legal and Policy, Enforcement Practice, Product Recalls, Property and Housing, Automotive, Vapes, Business, CTSI Conference, CTSI Hero Awards.


Filtered by tag|South West|Clear Filter


South West TS: Widespread Allergen Failures

Posted: 10 July 2026


UPDATES: A Trading Standards investigation has uncovered alarming allergen failures at takeaway curry houses across Devon, Somerset and Torbay, with more than three-quarters of tested outlets found serving meals containing milk despite being told customers had a dairy allergy ...

Rogue Glazier Given Suspended Sentence

Posted: 31 July 2025


UPDATES: A Plymouth glazier who intimidated customers, carried out shoddy work and misused a trusted trader logo has been sentenced after a Trading Standards prosecution. Complaints revealed fraud, threats and misleading claims that left victims distressed and out of pocket - ending with a suspended prison sentence, community service and a director ban ...

 

Rogue glazier given suspended sentence

Posted: 31 July 2025

UPDATES: A man who effectively ran a glazing company while misleading customers about completed work has received a suspended prison sentence. The prosecution illustrates the serious consequences of fraudulent trading practices.

South West Shops Shuttered

Posted: 22 July 2025


UPDATES: Five shops across Devon and Torbay have been forced to close for three months after repeatedly selling illegal tobacco and vapes. Despite prior warnings, officers uncovered hidden stashes - some using specialist detection dogs - prompting court-ordered closures and a stark warning to rogue retailers that illegal sales will not be tolerated ...

 

South West shops shuttered

Posted: 22 July 2025

UPDATES: A coordinated crackdown on illegal tobacco and vaping has resulted in multiple shop closures across the South West, demonstrating the impact of partnership enforcement against persistent rogue retailers.
 

Asda fined for out-of-date food

Posted: 25 April 2025

UPDATES: A successful prosecution serves as a reminder of retailers' responsibilities after expired food was found on sale, reinforcing the importance of effective stock control and compliance.
 

Car dealer fined for breaking law

Posted: 04 April 2025

UPDATES: A prosecution against a used car dealer highlights the importance of consumers' statutory rights and the consequences for businesses that attempt to evade their legal obligations after a sale.
 

TSSW takes action on illegal tobacco

Posted: 18 March 2025

UPDATES: Trading Standards South West joined national enforcement partners in a major operation targeting illicit tobacco, with coordinated inspections designed to disrupt illegal supply networks.
 

Shops fail corrosive test purchases

Posted: 06 March 2025

UPDATES: Test purchasing has exposed widespread failures by retailers to prevent underage sales of corrosive products, raising concerns about compliance with legislation designed to tackle knife crime and public safety.
 

Letting agent hit with £10,000 penalty

Posted: 12 February 2025

UPDATES: A Somerset letting agent has been fined £10,000 after failing to protect client money, underlining the legal safeguards designed to protect landlords and tenants in the private rented sector.
 

Builder sentenced for unfinished work

Posted: 10 February 2025

UPDATES: A Gloucester builder has received a suspended prison sentence and been ordered to repay victims after leaving poor-quality work unfinished and demanding further payments.
 

Shutters come down on Wiltshire shop

Posted: 03 February 2025

UPDATES: A shop in the Wiltshire town of Calne has been forced to close for three months after it was found to be selling illegal tobacco and vapes by.
 

Wiltshire TS seize illegal goods

Posted: 25 November 2024

UPDATES: Wiltshire Trading Standards has seized counterfeit and unsafe tobacco and vape products from businesses in Chippenham, Devizes and Melksham, with prosecutions now being prepared after raids supported by Wiltshire Police.
 

Rogue builder hit with PoCA ruling

Posted: 14 November 2024

UPDATES: Bath & North East Somerset Trading Standards has secured a £108,085 Proceeds of Crime Act order against a builder who took large deposits, abandoned work and left customers facing serious financial losses.
 

Illegal vape seller hit with £6,000 fine

Posted: 30 October 2024

UPDATES: A Gloucester shop owner has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after repeated Trading Standards visits uncovered large quantities of illegal oversized disposable vapes at his shop and in his car.
 

Vinyl fraudster ordered to pay up

Posted: 24 October 2024

UPDATES: Dorset Trading Standards has secured a further proceeds of crime order against a convicted counterfeit vinyl seller after investigators identified undisclosed assets linked to his £1.2m fake records operation.
 

Hot water bottle safety tips

Posted: 22 October 2024

UPDATES: Heart of the South West Trading Standards is urging consumers to check the age, condition and safe use of hot water bottles, warning that damaged or ageing products can cause serious burns.
 

Shopkeeper fined for underage sale

Posted: 14 October 2024

UPDATES: A Taunton shop owner has been ordered to pay more than £2,300 after a disposable vape was sold to an under-18 volunteer during a Trading Standards test purchase, underlining the need for staff training and robust age-verification procedures.
 

Underage vapes seller fined

Posted: 26 September 2024

UPDATES: Heart of the South West Trading Standards (HotSW TS) is reminding shopkeepers to ask their customers for ID following the prosecution of a trader who sold vapes to an under-18-year-old. At Newton Abbey Magistrates Court on 23 September Andrew Hawkins...
 

Illegal tobacco seized in Exmouth

Posted: 09 September 2024

UPDATES: Trading Standards officers, police and detection dogs seized more than £10,000 of illegal tobacco and non-compliant vapes in Exmouth, adding to a year of major illicit product seizures across the region.