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|Richard Young|Clear Filter

 

Jail sentence for fake goods seller

Posted: 24 July 2025

UPDATES: Two counterfeiters who generated hundreds of thousands of pounds selling fake designer goods through social media have been jailed following a Trading Standards investigation, highlighting the scale and consequences of organised online counterfeiting.
 

Cardiff TS fines Asda £640,000

Posted: 23 July 2025

UPDATES: Cardiff Trading Standards has secured a substantial fine against Asda after repeated sales of out-of-date food, underlining the continuing importance of robust food safety controls and retailer compliance.
 

Nationwide warning over fake toy craze

Posted: 23 July 2025

UPDATES: Counterfeit Labubu dolls are prompting warnings from Trading Standards teams nationwide as the viral toy craze fuels sales of potentially unsafe products that pose risks to children and consumers.
 

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.
 

Hackney TS seizes illicit goods

Posted: 22 July 2025

UPDATES: Raids by Hackney Trading Standards uncovered tens of thousands of illicit cigarettes, illegal vapes and other offending, illustrating the breadth of criminal activity often linked to rogue retail premises.
 

Landmark product safety law passed

Posted: 22 July 2025

UPDATES: A landmark new law strengthens regulators' powers over unsafe products and places greater responsibility on online marketplaces, marking a significant shift in UK product safety enforcement.
 

Opinion: from policy to people

Posted: 11 July 2025

OPINION: Effective regulation depends on trust as much as enforcement. This thought-provoking piece argues for culturally aware communication, stronger community engagement and a more people-centred approach to consumer protection.
 

CTSI sounds alarm on cosmetic drips

Posted: 30 June 2025

UPDATES: CTSI is urging ministers to regulate intravenous cosmetic treatments after an investigation exposed widespread safety failings, highlighting growing concerns over unregulated aesthetic procedures and consumer harm.
 

Opinion: One of the good guys

Posted: 23 June 2025

OPINION: Behind the scenes, dedicated individuals help shape the profession. This profile celebrates Brian Stone's long service to the College of Fellows and the quiet influence of those who keep vital institutions running.
 

Rogue builder jailed for 12 months

Posted: 23 June 2025

UPDATES: A repeat offending builder has received a custodial sentence after leaving homeowners with dangerous, incomplete work, reinforcing the consequences of serious consumer protection breaches.
 

In Conversation: Martyn James

Posted: 23 June 2025

OPINION: Martyn James reflects on a career spent explaining consumer rights to the public, from financial scandals and media work to the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud. His conversation underlines why clear, memorable advice matters when consumers are overwhelmed, anxious or unsure where to turn.
 

Analysis: Victims or villains?

Posted: 23 June 2025

ANALYSIS: Scam centres across Southeast Asia expose a darker reality behind online fraud, where many perpetrators are themselves trafficking victims trapped by organised crime. The piece examines how globalised scams damage UK consumers while exploiting vulnerable workers, and why enforcement responses must recognise both sides of that harm.
 

Analysis: Something to prove

Posted: 23 June 2025

ANALYSIS: Operation Usk began as a local illicit tobacco inquiry and became one of Wales’ most significant Trading Standards investigations, uncovering fraud, money laundering and links to wider organised crime. Mandy Flood’s account shows the personal risks, partnership working and persistence needed when apparently routine cases reveal something far more serious.
 

Analysis: Under attack

Posted: 23 June 2025

ANALYSIS: Local authorities and Trading Standards teams are no longer just warning others about cyber threats - they are increasingly targets themselves. Drawing on expert advice and recent data incidents, this piece explains the practical steps councils need to take to protect sensitive information, investigations and frontline services.
 

CTSI Conference 2025: Day Three

Posted: 20 June 2025

UPDATES: The final day of CTSI Conference 2025 looked firmly to the future, from workforce diversity and professional development to the DMCC Act and Primary Authority. As awards, reflections and a change of Chair brought Blackpool to a close, the message was one of inclusion, renewal and readiness for change.
 

CTSI Conference 2025: Day Two

Posted: 18 June 2025

UPDATES: Day Two of CTSI Conference 2025 placed artificial intelligence, consumer vulnerability and emerging regulatory challenges at the centre of discussion. Alongside sessions on cosmetic procedures, animal welfare, ghost plates and renters’ rights, delegates were urged to focus on people as much as technology when protecting consumers.
 

CTSI Conference 2025: Day One

Posted: 17 June 2025

UPDATES: CTSI Conference 2025 opened in Blackpool with a programme that reflected the full breadth of modern Trading Standards work, from organised crime and unsafe products to inclusion, new legislation and consumer detriment. The first day set a clear tone: stretched services remain ambitious, resilient and essential.
 

Analysis: Putting it out there

Posted: 16 June 2025

ANALYSIS: CTSI’s return to the REACH Society Careers Conference showed how direct engagement with young people can widen access to Trading Standards and regulatory careers. The piece highlights the importance of representation, apprenticeships and collaboration in building a profession that better reflects the communities it serves.
 

Local gov't funding rise welcomed

Posted: 12 June 2025

UPDATES: CTSI has welcomed the Spending Review’s projected rise in local authority funding and new investment linked to tobacco and vapes enforcement, while warning that Trading Standards will still need local prioritisation. The response sets out both the opportunities and the risks for services facing reform, devolution and digital change.
 

Farmer given 10-year livestock ban

Posted: 09 June 2025

UPDATES: A Cambridgeshire farmer has been banned from keeping livestock for 10 years after Trading Standards found animals in poor conditions and disease control rules being ignored. The prosecution underlines the role of local enforcement in protecting animal welfare, traceability and responsible farming standards.