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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.

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Opinion: Feeling puzzled?

Posted: 30 June 2021

OPINION: Brexit, the pandemic and shifting consumer behaviour have exposed deep structural pressures on trading standards. Solving the profession's future requires fitting together every piece of an increasingly complex policy and enforcement puzzle.
 

CPRs vs. the Fraud Act

Posted: 05 February 2021

ANALYSIS: Choosing between offences under the Consumer Protection Regulations and the Fraud Act can have significant consequences for investigations, prosecutions and outcomes. This analysis explores the factors that should guide charging decisions.
 

UK ECC: Looking beyond EU Exit

Posted: 08 January 2021

ANALYSIS: As the UK's future relationship with the EU changes, UK ECC considers how its expertise in cross-border consumer protection could evolve, expanding support for consumers beyond its traditional European remit.
 

Contracts and COVID-19

Posted: 04 August 2020

ANALYSIS: COVID-19 has disrupted countless consumer and business contracts, raising difficult questions over cancellations, refunds, damages and contractual obligations. Explores how established legal principles apply during the pandemic and what rights remain available to both consumers and traders.
 

When uncertain meets unprecedented

Posted: 02 July 2020

OPINION: After months of twists and turns, the UK officially exited the EU at 11pm on January 31, 2020, and entered into the transition period which will end on...
 

Trials in the age of COVID-19

Posted: 01 July 2020

ANALYSIS: Courtrooms were forced to adapt almost overnight as COVID-19 disrupted jury trials. This feature explores the practical, legal and procedural implications for the justice system during the pandemic.
 

No such thing as an 'everyday' tragedy

Posted: 17 December 2019

OPINION: From defective tumble dryers to Grenfell, major product safety failures demonstrate the human cost of regulatory shortcomings. The article argues that preventing so-called everyday tragedies demands sustained commitment to effective enforcement.
 

Whirlpool report highlights TS cuts

Posted: 01 November 2019

UPDATES: A parliamentary report into the Whirlpool appliance controversy renews scrutiny of product safety failures while highlighting the pressures facing trading standards services after years of budget reductions.
 

The policy game-changer

Posted: 01 August 2019

ANALYSIS: Proposed reforms to consumer enforcement could reshape the relationship between national and local trading standards. As government considers new powers and structures, the profession weighs the opportunities alongside the risks.
 

The cost of compliance

Posted: 16 July 2019

ANALYSIS: Businesses investing heavily to meet regulatory requirements can be left at a disadvantage when competitors ignore the rules. This feature examines how inconsistent enforcement undermines compliance and fair competition.
 

Playing policy whack-a-mole

Posted: 16 July 2019

OPINION: Effective policy work depends on far more than good arguments. Reflecting on CTSI's strengths and frustrations, this column explores the realities of influencing government on behalf of the trading standards profession.
 

UK ECC issues holiday advice

Posted: 08 July 2019

UPDATES: One year after new package travel rules came into force, UK ECC urges holidaymakers to understand their rights, recognise protected bookings and gather evidence if problems arise abroad.
 

Willwrighters approved for ADR

Posted: 05 June 2019

UPDATES: The Society of Will Writers has secured approval for an alternative dispute resolution scheme, giving consumers using member firms access to an independent route for resolving complaints over wills and related estate-planning services.
 

New ADR resources launched

Posted: 16 May 2019

ANALYSIS: Business Companion has launched new resources on alternative dispute resolution, explaining how ADR can help businesses and consumers resolve disputes faster, more cheaply and with less risk than court action.
 

Call for action on consumer protection

Posted: 04 February 2019

UPDATES: CTSI has backed calls for major consumer protection reform, supporting recommendations that would strengthen enforcement, improve redress and respond to the scale of harm facing UK consumers.
 

Taking control on offensive weapons

Posted: 04 February 2019

ANALYSIS: The Offensive Weapons Bill introduces long-awaited controls on corrosive substances and dangerous products, but its implications for sales, delivery, age checks and enforcement demand close attention from trading standards.
 

Questions raised on Weapons Bill

Posted: 30 January 2019

UPDATES: CTSI has raised questions in the House of Lords over proposed Offensive Weapons Bill amendments covering acid sales to minors and online sales of dangerous weapons, seeking clarity on enforcement and practical impact.
 

The intelligence-led operations model

Posted: 01 January 2019

ANALYSIS: The intelligence-led operations model promises more targeted enforcement, but the article questions whether it strengthens proactive trading standards work or risks narrowing activity around the intelligence already available.
 

Austerity's impacts will outlive it

Posted: 27 December 2018

OPINION: Austerity has reshaped trading standards in ways that may outlast the policy itself, reducing capacity, weakening local protection and leaving the profession to manage long-term structural consequences.
 

CTSI urges firms to choose ADR

Posted: 18 September 2018

UPDATES: CTSI is encouraging businesses to join its Consumer Codes Approval Scheme, arguing that approved codes and alternative dispute resolution strengthen consumer confidence while helping firms resolve disputes without costly litigation.