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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.

 

H&F TS tackles football rip-offs

Posted: 16 November 2023

UPDATES: Persistent action against illegal football merchandise sellers has resulted in another successful prosecution, as Hammersmith and Fulham Trading Standards continues its campaign to protect supporters and legitimate traders on matchdays around Stamford Bridge.
 

No place to hide for illicit tobacco

Posted: 16 November 2023

UPDATES: Derby Trading Standards is uncovering increasingly sophisticated hiding places for illicit tobacco and illegal vapes, with Operation CeCe raids exposing concealed stock worth thousands of pounds despite elaborate hydraulic compartments designed to evade detection.
 

Brighton & Hove rogue warning

Posted: 14 November 2023

UPDATES: Brighton and Hove Trading Standards is urging residents to stay alert after a sharp increase in complaints about rogue builders, highlighting the devastating financial losses, poor workmanship and doorstep tactics that continue to target householders.
 

Warning to shops that broke law

Posted: 13 November 2023

UPDATES: North Lanarkshire Trading Standards has warned retailers after test purchases revealed repeated illegal sales of cigarettes and vapes to under-18s, prompting fixed penalties, proposed banning orders and further enforcement visits.
 

Taking Trading Standards seriously

Posted: 10 November 2023

ANALYSIS: Food Standards enforcement is under growing strain as budget cuts, recruitment problems, Brexit pressures and political priorities combine to weaken local capacity. Drawing on the FSA's Our Food 2022 report and Trading Standards voices, this analysis examines why rebuilding the workforce has become an urgent priority.
 

FSA raises workforce capacity concerns

Posted: 09 November 2023

UPDATES: The Food Standards Agency's Our Food 2022 report highlights mounting workforce shortages affecting Trading Standards and Environmental Health. CTSI and CIEH say sustained investment is essential if food standards enforcement and consumer protection are to remain effective.
 

'Greedy' rogue builder jailed

Posted: 08 November 2023

UPDATES: A rogue builder who financed luxury spending by defrauding householders has been jailed following a Trading Standards investigation. The case highlights the scale of consumer harm caused by repeat offenders and the persistence needed to bring complex frauds before the courts.
 

Illicit tobacco couple plead guilty

Posted: 06 November 2023

UPDATES: An Oxfordshire couple have admitted selling illicit tobacco and cigarettes through Facebook after a Trading Standards investigation uncovered illegal products at their home. The prosecution underlines continuing efforts to disrupt organised illicit tobacco sales.
 

Essex TS concludes complex fraud case

Posted: 01 November 2023

UPDATES: Essex Trading Standards has concluded its largest-ever fraud investigation, working with National Trading Standards and regional partners to secure guilty verdicts in a complex case involving extensive consumer fraud and years of investigative work.
 

Derby TS stops Halloween scares

Posted: 30 October 2023

UPDATES: Trading Standards officers stepped up Halloween safety checks as cost-of-living pressures increased demand for cheaper costumes and seasonal goods, targeting unsafe products before they reached families and helping shoppers celebrate safely.
 

Illicit cigarettes seized in Staffs

Posted: 27 October 2023

UPDATES: Operation CeCe enforcement activity in Staffordshire uncovered thousands of illicit cigarettes, large quantities of illegal tobacco and hundreds of unlawful vapes, demonstrating the continuing focus on disrupting the illegal tobacco market.
 

NTS campaign targets scam stigma

Posted: 25 October 2023

UPDATES: National Trading Standards has launched a campaign to tackle the stigma surrounding scams, encouraging more victims to report offences and seek support while helping authorities build a clearer picture of fraud affecting consumers.
 

Rogues exploit extreme weather

Posted: 24 October 2023

UPDATES: Severe weather has created new opportunities for rogue traders targeting vulnerable householders. Trading Standards is urging consumers to remain vigilant, check traders carefully and avoid high-pressure offers following storms and flooding.
 

Jail for Plymouth rogue trader

Posted: 20 October 2023

UPDATES: A rogue trader who exploited vulnerable homeowners, including a blind victim, has been jailed following an investigation by Heart of the South West Trading Standards, bringing justice in a case involving unnecessary and costly home improvement work.
 

Farmers banned for cruelty offences

Posted: 19 October 2023

UPDATES: Lifetime bans on keeping livestock were imposed after a Trading Standards animal health investigation uncovered multiple welfare offences involving neglected farm animals. The case highlights the consequences of serious breaches of animal welfare legislation.
 

Counterfeit tobacco seller guilty

Posted: 16 October 2023

UPDATES: A haul of more than 1,500 counterfeit cigarette packets uncovered at a Taunton shop led to a successful prosecution, community service and another warning that illicit tobacco continues to fund criminal activity while undermining legitimate retailers.
 

Illicit vapes seized by Suffolk TS

Posted: 16 October 2023

UPDATES: Suffolk Trading Standards removed thousands of oversized disposable vapes from sale after discovering products far exceeding the UK's legal tank capacity and puff limits, reinforcing ongoing efforts to tackle non-compliant vaping products.
 

The Windrush Generation Game

Posted: 12 October 2023

ANALYSIS: Using the story of the Windrush generation as its starting point, this feature reflects on migration, identity and diversity within Trading Standards, examining how different life experiences can strengthen consumer protection and the profession itself.
 

Voices of experience

Posted: 12 October 2023

ANALYSIS: CTSI Chair Tendy Lindsay reflects on a career spanning nearly three decades, discussing the experiences that shaped her commitment to social justice, leadership and a more inclusive future for the Trading Standards profession.
 

Staffs TS issues fireworks advice

Posted: 12 October 2023

UPDATES: As Bonfire Night approaches, Staffordshire Trading Standards reminds retailers of the licensing rules governing fireworks sales, storage requirements and the limited periods during which seasonal sales are legally permitted.