OPINION: Trading Standards cannot protect modern consumers or attract future talent from the sidelines. A direct call for the profession to engage with digital culture, diverse communities and social media on their own terms.

UPDATES: CTSI has marked National Apprenticeship Week by promoting Trading Standards as an open and rewarding career path, with apprenticeships helping services build skills and attract new talent.

UPDATES: Consumer group Which? has published a new report on the capacity and performance of Local Authority Trading Standards services which it says exposes ‘shocking differences in staffing levels.

DEVELOPMENT: The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) is a vital piece of UK legislation that allows Trading Standards authorities (and other law enforcement agencies) to tackle criminal activity by.

UPDATES: CTSI is offering free training for members on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, covering new online consumer protections, enforcement powers and rules affecting tech firms, marketplaces and sellers.

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ANALYSIS: Peter Tompkins’ 60-year Trading Standards career spans from Weights and Measures inspections to modern consumer protection. He’s seen major changes: more women in the profession, shifts from prosecutions to advice, and challenges from austerity. Optimistic, he stresses the need for proper funding, sensible regulation, and further support for new officers ...

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ANALYSIS: Nearly half a billion pounds was lost to bank scams in the UK last year, leaving victims “devastated, embarrassed and angry with themselves.” Experts warn that consumer education is key to prevention, yet dwindling resources mean many miss out on vital guidance. Discover how Trading Standards is fighting back - and why early education could protect you for life ...

OPINION: The language used by regulators, businesses and campaigners can shape behaviour as much as policy itself. Clear communication remains a powerful tool for consumer protection.

OPINION: Progress depends on creating the conditions for success rather than simply identifying obstacles. This piece explores a positive, practical approach to leadership and change.

OPINION: As the profession continues to evolve, travelling new roads brings fresh opportunities alongside difficult decisions. Reflection, resilience and ambition are central themes.

ANALYSIS: As scams become more convincing and consumer rights harder to navigate, Trading Standards leaders argue that prevention must start earlier and reach further. This piece looks at the case for inclusive consumer education, better school-age awareness and practical partnerships that help people protect themselves before harm is done.

ANALYSIS: After six decades in Trading Standards, Peter Tompkins reflects on a profession transformed by social change, new legislation and severe funding pressures. His memories of Weights and Measures, farm inspections, prosecutions and business advice offer a warm but clear-eyed account of what the service has lost, retained and still needs.

OPINION: Seasonal traditions provide the backdrop for a thoughtful reflection on weights and measures, professional standards and the enduring relevance of Trading Standards work in everyday life.

ANALYSIS: Kristina Hann’s Trading Standards career has taken in disability, discrimination, elite swimming, rogue trader investigations and life with assistance dog Louis. Her story is a sharp reminder that reasonable adjustments open doors, while low expectations close them.

UPDATES: Janet Masson’s career took her from landmark Trade Descriptions Act cases in Southwark to national leadership on food standards and nutrition, leaving colleagues with memories of formidable expertise, warmth and lasting professional influence.

UPDATES: London Trading Standards has honoured a local safeguarding champion with a Touchstone Award, recognising outstanding partnership work to protect vulnerable residents from consumer harm.

UPDATES: An exhibition at Westminster City Council marks Black History Month through the work of eight artists, celebrating creativity, identity and inclusion while highlighting the contribution of Trading Standards professional Giles Speid as curator.

UPDATES: CTSI marks Black History Month with articles, profiles and resources celebrating Black leaders, public service pioneers and the profession's diversity while encouraging members to engage with this year's 'Reclaiming Narratives' theme.

UPDATES: Scottish Borders Trading Standards is taking its Scam Van to Eyemouth, Kelso, Galashiels and Hawick, giving residents practical guidance and community resources to help them spot and avoid scams.

OPINION: Faced with shrinking budgets and rising demands, Newham's Regulatory Services explains how collaboration, partnership working and organisational adaptability have helped maintain effective Trading Standards services while identifying lessons for authorities facing similar pressures.