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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.

 

Family fraudsters jailed

Posted: 16 May 2023

UPDATES: A National Trading Standards investigation has led to lengthy jail sentences for a family who made more than £2 million by tricking consumers into paying for free EHICs through misleading websites and aggressive refund practices.
 

Retailers reminded of knife rules

Posted: 16 May 2023

UPDATES: Staffordshire retailers are being reminded of their legal responsibilities when selling knives as Trading Standards joins police in the Ditch the Blade campaign, promoting Challenge 25, staff training and secure storage to help reduce knife crime.
 

Govt abandons REUL sunset clause

Posted: 11 May 2023

UPDATES: CTSI welcomes the Government's decision to abandon the Retained EU Law sunset clause, while warning that hundreds of laws still require scrutiny to ensure vital consumer protections are not lost.
 

1 million illicit cigarettes seized

Posted: 28 April 2023

UPDATES: More than one million illicit cigarettes, hundreds of kilograms of illegal tobacco and thousands of unlawful vapes have been seized in Warwickshire, highlighting Trading Standards' sustained action against organised criminal supply.
 

Shepherd guilty of welfare offences

Posted: 28 April 2023

UPDATES: Oxfordshire’s prosecution of a shepherd over buried sheep carcasses, poor livestock records and unauthorised movements shows how animal welfare rules protect disease control, food chain traceability and fair competition in farming.
 

Puppy scam targets Dogs Trust charity

Posted: 28 April 2023

UPDATES: CTSI and Dogs Trust warn that scammers are exploiting the charity’s reputation by advertising non-existent puppies online, taking upfront payments and sending victims to a rehoming centre address where no animal is waiting.
 

TS supports Allergy Awareness Week

Posted: 26 April 2023

UPDATES: Staffordshire Trading Standards is using Allergy Awareness Week to remind food businesses that clear allergen information is a legal duty, after local inspections found imported products with undeclared allergenic ingredients.
 

Staffs TS seizes illicit tobacco & vapes

Posted: 18 April 2023

UPDATES: Operation CeCe raids in Staffordshire removed £24,000 worth of illicit cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco and illegal vapes from shops in Lichfield and Stafford, adding to a year of substantial seizures.
 

New mobile phone scam warning

Posted: 05 April 2023

UPDATES: Hartlepool Trading Standards is warning mobile users about a scam in which fraudsters arrange handset upgrades in victims’ names, then trick them into forwarding the new phones to bogus return addresses.
 

Fake vinyl record seller guilty

Posted: 05 April 2023

UPDATES: Dorset Trading Standards has secured a prosecution against an online seller of counterfeit vinyl records, underlining the continuing role of intellectual property enforcement in protecting collectors, consumers and legitimate traders.
 

Fraudsters targeted vulnerable people

Posted: 04 April 2023

UPDATES: A joint investigation has brought sentencing for fraudsters who targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, exposing the pressure tactics and deception used to extract money from people least able to withstand it.
 

FSA launches meat fraud inquiry

Posted: 31 March 2023

UPDATES: The Food Standards Agency has opened an inquiry into reports of large-scale meat fraud, raising fresh questions about supply chain integrity, food authenticity and the systems designed to protect consumers.
 

Isle of Wight rogue trader jailed

Posted: 30 March 2023

UPDATES: An Isle of Wight rogue trader who bullied and deceived victims has been jailed after a lengthy trading standards investigation that pieced together the evidence needed to bring him before the courts.
 

Illicit vapes 'new battleground'

Posted: 24 March 2023

UPDATES: Lincolnshire Trading Standards says illicit vapes have become a new enforcement battleground, with seizure figures showing how quickly non-compliant products have moved to the centre of local product safety work.
 

Pricing failures hit Scottish consumers

Posted: 23 March 2023

UPDATES: A nationwide Scottish pricing survey uncovered widespread failures in price marking, unit pricing and checkout accuracy, highlighting how seemingly small errors are costing consumers millions during the cost-of-living crisis.
 

Illicit vapes seized in Operation Vulcan

Posted: 20 March 2023

UPDATES: Thousands of illegal vaping products were seized during Operation Vulcan as Trading Standards and police targeted organised criminality in Cheetham Hill, uncovering both unsafe goods and suspected labour exploitation.
 

Agent failed to protect clients

Posted: 15 March 2023

UPDATES: A property company has lost its appeal against an £8,000 penalty after repeatedly failing to join a mandatory Client Money Protection scheme, leaving landlords' and tenants' funds without the legal safeguards required.
 

TS probe uncovers car-parts scam

Posted: 15 March 2023

UPDATES: A lengthy Trading Standards investigation exposed a counterfeit car-parts business that deceived motorists and generated more than £200,000 before two men received prison sentences for trademark offences.
 

Deadly heaters seized by Suffolk TS

Posted: 09 March 2023

UPDATES: More than 300 unsafe electrical heaters destined for online sale were intercepted at Felixstowe after inspectors identified serious electrocution risks, preventing potentially dangerous products from reaching consumers.
 

Major counterfeiting network hit

Posted: 09 March 2023

UPDATES: Trading Standards officers uncovered a nationwide counterfeit distribution network after routine inspections led to the seizure of around 60,000 fake luxury goods worth an estimated £9 million.