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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.

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Sandwell TS bags illegal tobacco

Posted: 01 August 2024

UPDATES: More than £120,000 worth of illegal tobacco and vapes have been seized by Sandwell Council Trading Standards...
 

'Ruthless' rogue trader jailed

Posted: 31 July 2024

UPDATES: A conman who targeted elderly and vulnerable victims has been jailed for more than four years following...
 

Ticket scammer pleads guilty

Posted: 30 July 2024

UPDATES: A bogus Facebook travel business left victims thousands of pounds out of pocket after selling non-existent flights. Dudley Trading Standards traced the money to the offender's personal account, leading to guilty pleas for theft and money laundering and a suspended prison sentence.
 

LTS issues stark safety warning

Posted: 29 July 2024

UPDATES: London Trading Standards is urging consumers to think twice before buying toys, electrical goods and cosmetics through online marketplaces, arguing outdated legislation leaves shoppers exposed to unsafe imports while platforms escape meaningful product safety responsibilities.
 

WhatsApp and NTS target scams

Posted: 29 July 2024

UPDATES: National Trading Standards and WhatsApp have renewed their partnership to tackle digital fraud, expanding the 'Stop. Think. Call.' campaign with social media creators and practical advice to help consumers recognise impersonation scams and resist emotional manipulation.
 

Schools warned of vaping risks

Posted: 25 July 2024

UPDATES: Trading Standards officers, police and a specialist detection dog have visited secondary schools in Redcar and Cleveland to warn pupils about illicit vapes, including devices found to contain synthetic drugs, while reinforcing age-restriction laws and safe disposal.
 

£20,000 of illegal goods seized

Posted: 25 July 2024

UPDATES: Joint raids in Rugeley uncovered more than £20,000 worth of illegal vapes, tobacco, cigarettes and food. Staffordshire Trading Standards says intelligence from the public remains vital as officers target organised crime and products aimed at children.
 

Consumer Scotland eyes green sector

Posted: 24 July 2024

UPDATES: Consumer Scotland has begun a wide-ranging review of the domestic energy-efficiency market, seeking evidence of misleading practices, weak consumer protections and barriers to confidence as millions of homes prepare for the transition to cleaner heating.
 

Cornwall takes on high-pressure sales

Posted: 24 July 2024

UPDATES: Cornwall Trading Standards is warning residents about doorstep jet-washing traders who lure homeowners with free demonstrations before pressuring them into paying vastly inflated prices, with older people believed to be among those most frequently targeted.
 

Staffordshire TS: rogue traders guilty

Posted: 24 July 2024

UPDATES: A five-year Trading Standards investigation ended with prison sentences for rogue traders who defrauded vulnerable homeowners of substantial sums through unfinished home improvement work, exposing how customer deposits were diverted to fund a lavish lifestyle.
 

Apprentice of the year recognised

Posted: 23 July 2024

UPDATES: Ali Walker of Leicestershire Trading Standards has been named CTSI National Apprentice of the Year after leading successful work against illegal tobacco, embracing professional training and demonstrating the impact apprenticeships can have across the profession.
 

Highland cattle scam site warning

Posted: 22 July 2024

UPDATES: Fraudsters posing as Highland cattle sellers used the address of a country park to lure buyers into a sophisticated online scam. Trading Standards acted quickly to expose the deception and shut down a website already linked to previous livestock and puppy frauds.
 

CTSI welcomes new Gov't plans

Posted: 22 July 2024

UPDATES: CTSI has welcomed the Government's proposed consumer protection reforms but warns that stronger laws on renters' rights, product safety, tobacco and vapes will achieve little unless Trading Standards receives the funding needed to enforce them.
 

CMA examines trusted trader sites

Posted: 17 July 2024

UPDATES: The CMA has opened a consultation on trader recommendation platforms amid concerns over misleading endorsements, inadequate vetting and weak complaints processes. The review seeks views on improving standards and consumer confidence across the sector.
 

Illegal vapes down the drain

Posted: 16 July 2024

UPDATES: Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes hidden inside a working drain were uncovered during Operation CeCe, prompting Darlington Trading Standards to highlight the health risks and criminality associated with buying illicit products.
 

Shop fined for underage vape sale

Posted: 16 July 2024

UPDATES: A West Croydon retailer has been fined more than £2,500 after selling a vape to an underage volunteer during a test purchase, reinforcing the importance of age-restriction enforcement and responsible retailing.
 

Criminal 'predator' gang jailed

Posted: 16 July 2024

UPDATES: A long-running North Yorkshire Trading Standards investigation has brought down a gang of rogue builders who defrauded elderly homeowners of more than £1.2m, exposing the devastating scale of organised doorstep crime.
 

Hefty fine for food safety faker

Posted: 15 July 2024

UPDATES: Falsified Salmonella testing certificates led to a food business owner being fined more than £50,000 after an investigation by the Food Standards Agency and Trading Standards uncovered serious breaches of food safety controls.
 

Vapes seized after children taken ill

Posted: 10 July 2024

UPDATES: More than 1,000 illegal vapes have been seized from Nottingham businesses after reports that local schoolchildren were hospitalised, highlighting continuing concerns over the availability of illicit vaping products.
 

Kent TS nabs tobacco and vapes

Posted: 10 July 2024

UPDATES: Joint action by Kent Trading Standards and Kent Police resulted in the seizure of illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco from Dover businesses following intelligence from the local community about suspected illicit sales.