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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.
CCHB appoints new Board member
Posted: 08 February 2024
UPDATES: Consumer Code for Home Builders has appointed regulation specialist Claire Whyley to its Board, strengthening consumer representation as the organisation implements recommendations from its independent Code review.
Dangerous shower head warning
Posted: 07 February 2024
UPDATES: Consumers are being urged to stop using a replacement shower head linked to serious burn injuries, as Warwickshire Trading Standards works with manufacturers and online retailers to remove the dangerous product from sale.
CTSI supports Apprenticeship Week
Posted: 05 February 2024
UPDATES: During National Apprenticeship Week, CTSI and partner organisations are renewing calls for dedicated funding to expand regulatory compliance apprenticeships and help address long-term workforce shortages.
Opinion: Wiping out greenwashing
Posted: 01 February 2024
OPINION: Environmental claims can help consumers make informed choices - or mislead them completely. This opinion piece argues that robust action against greenwashing is essential if confidence in sustainable products is to be maintained.
Ten top tips for online purchases
Posted: 01 February 2024
OPINION: Post-Christmas bargains can tempt consumers into costly mistakes. Practical advice highlights the warning signs of misleading offers, unsafe buying practices and the checks shoppers should make before purchasing online.
Suffolk TS seizes over 2,000 vapes
Posted: 31 January 2024
UPDATES: Suffolk Trading Standards has seized more than 2,000 illegal vapes after businesses ignored earlier compliance advice, underlining continuing enforcement action against unlawful nicotine products.
Disposable vape ban announced
Posted: 29 January 2024
UPDATES: Government plans to ban disposable vapes form part of wider smoking and vaping reforms aimed at reducing youth uptake while reshaping the regulatory landscape for retailers and enforcement authorities.
CPPD Module 25: Single-use plastics
Posted: 24 January 2024
DEVELOPMENT: An overview of the rules restricting the supply of single-use plastic straws, stirrers, cotton buds and other specified products, explaining the key legal duties for businesses.
Fake reviews and drip pricing banned
Posted: 24 January 2024
UPDATES: New consumer protection reforms will outlaw fake reviews and drip pricing, strengthening enforcement powers and giving shoppers clearer, more transparent pricing information.
Opinion: Bad habits, good intentions
Posted: 24 January 2024
OPINION: Ambitious tobacco control proposals promise long-term public health benefits, but achieving a smoke-free generation will depend on sustained commitment, effective enforcement and lasting behavioural change.
Lincolnshire rogue trader jailed
Posted: 23 January 2024
UPDATES: A Lincolnshire rogue trader who exploited elderly and vulnerable homeowners with unnecessary roofing work has been jailed following a successful Trading Standards investigation.
Bogus uni website taken down
Posted: 18 January 2024
UPDATES: Enforcement action has shut down a bogus university website that impersonated a genuine institution and targeted prospective students with fraudulent courses costing thousands of pounds.
Touchstone Awards set the gold standard
Posted: 17 January 2024
SPONSORED: The British Hallmarking Council's Touchstone Awards recognise outstanding Trading Standards work, celebrating innovative enforcement and partnership initiatives that deliver real consumer protection.
Updated codes for home buyers
Posted: 16 January 2024
UPDATES: Revised consumer codes for the home-building sector aim to improve consistency, strengthen protection for buyers and raise standards across the new homes market.
West Yorks TS find hidden stash
Posted: 16 January 2024
UPDATES: Trading Standards and police uncovered concealed illegal tobacco, cigarettes and vapes hidden behind an electronically controlled hatch in a Huddersfield shop, continuing a wider crackdown on organised criminal networks using sophisticated hiding places.
Opinion: Students deserve better
Posted: 15 January 2024
OPINION: Today's students face soaring tuition fees, crushing debt and often appalling rented accommodation. Comparing past and present, this commentary argues that higher education now demands far more financially while too often delivering far less.
Consumer Scotland: an eye to the future
Posted: 15 January 2024
ANALYSIS: As Consumer Scotland approaches its third year, its evidence-led work is shaping policy on the cost of living, essential services and the transition to Net Zero, while balancing the competing interests of today's consumers and future generations.
Time to talk about mental health
Posted: 15 January 2024
ANALYSIS: Cornwall Trading Standards' Speak Out to Help Out initiative tackles the growing mental health crisis affecting farmers, recognising how financial pressures, isolation and emotional strain can threaten both personal wellbeing and animal welfare.
Council funding on a cliff-edge
Posted: 15 January 2024
ANALYSIS: Mounting deficits, Section 114 notices and shrinking budgets are pushing councils towards financial crisis. What does this mean for Trading Standards services, statutory responsibilities and the future of local consumer protection?
Under the skin of illicit practices
Posted: 15 January 2024
ANALYSIS: Tougher legislation has given Trading Standards new powers to tackle illegal cosmetic procedures on under-18s, but enforcing the law against unregistered practitioners operating through social media presents significant practical challenges.
