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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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Operation CAROL tackles fakes

Posted: 26 November 2020

UPDATES: Operation CAROL targets counterfeit goods sold through social media as festive shopping shifts online, highlighting coordinated action to protect consumers and disrupt criminal sellers.
 

Brexit a factor for UK online shoppers

Posted: 26 November 2020

UPDATES: Brexit uncertainty and pandemic-driven online shopping combine to create new risks for consumers buying from EU retailers ahead of Black Friday, with advice on avoiding unexpected costs and problems.
 

Online shopping complaints surge

Posted: 15 November 2020

UPDATES: Complaints about online purchases have surged alongside lockdown shopping. The figures reveal changing consumer behaviour and underline the importance of knowing your rights when things go wrong.
 

CTSI condemns price gouging

Posted: 17 June 2020

UPDATES: CTSI has joined consumer bodies and regulators in warning retailers against pandemic price gouging, urging businesses to act responsibly as demand rises for essential goods during COVID-19.
 

Menthol cigarette ban lands this week

Posted: 18 May 2020

UPDATES: The UK ban on menthol cigarettes arrives without a sell-through period, extending earlier restrictions on characterising flavours and placing fresh duties on retailers while reinforcing public health efforts to reduce youth smoking uptake.
 

Knife sales: the sharp end

Posted: 07 January 2020

ANALYSIS: Rising knife crime has intensified scrutiny of age-restricted sales. This feature examines the changing legal framework, the challenges facing retailers and enforcement officers, and what the Offensive Weapons Act means in practice.
 

At Christmas, all that glitters is not gold...

Posted: 20 December 2019

ANALYSIS: Hallmarking protects consumers only when retailers comply with the law. A Scottish enforcement project uncovered widespread failures to display Dealers' Notices and identified improperly marked jewellery, highlighting the continuing need for vigilance.
 

CTSI warns on Black Friday sales

Posted: 27 November 2019

UPDATES: Before rushing into Black Friday deals, consumers are urged to compare prices carefully, plan purchases and avoid being misled by discounts that may not represent genuine savings.
 

Underage nicotine product sales rise

Posted: 17 October 2019

UPDATES: CTSI’s latest Tobacco Control Survey shows a sharp rise in illegal underage sales of nicotine-inhaling products, with vaping shops prominent among failures and funding cuts limiting the frontline response.
 

Mamas & Papas fined over car seats

Posted: 26 September 2019

UPDATES: A lengthy trading standards investigation led to penalties over the distribution of unsafe child car seats, raising important questions about product safety, corporate responsibility and consumer protection.
 

Online knife retailers fined

Posted: 19 September 2019

UPDATES: Seven online knife retailers were prosecuted after illegal sales to an underage test purchaser exposed failures in age verification, reinforcing expectations for responsible online retailing.
 

Responsible retail scheme launched

Posted: 11 September 2019

UPDATES: London partners have launched a Responsible Retailer Agreement to help businesses prevent underage knife sales and strengthen responsible retailing through closer collaboration with enforcement agencies.
 

Underage knife sales data revealed

Posted: 29 August 2019

UPDATES: Newly released National Trading Standards test purchase figures reveal the scale of illegal underage knife sales, informing efforts to improve retailer compliance and public safety.
 

Benugo fined for underage sale

Posted: 19 July 2019

UPDATES: Benugo has been fined after selling alcohol to a 15-year-old during a test purchase. The case highlighted failures in licence management as well as the importance of effective staff training and compliance procedures.
 

Illegal tobacco haul seized

Posted: 16 July 2019

UPDATES: Nearly 10,000 illicit cigarettes were seized during a joint Croydon operation involving trading standards, HMRC and specialist detection dogs, uncovering sophisticated concealment methods including an electronically operated false wall.
 

Shop bosses fined for underage sales

Posted: 09 July 2019

UPDATES: An off-licence licence holder and supervisor are heavily fined after selling alcohol to a 15-year-old and breaching licensing conditions, following a Lambeth Trading Standards test purchase operation.
 

Shopkeeper guilty of illegal tobacco sales

Posted: 24 April 2019

UPDATES: The former director of a retailer in Oldham has been sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement that he completes 100 hours of unpaid work after trading standards officers and a sniffer dog
 

Unsafe travel adaptor supplier fined

Posted: 14 April 2019

UPDATES: A supplier of unsafe world travel adaptors has been fined after Trading Standards found dangerous products on sale, highlighting the continuing importance of electrical safety and robust supply chain compliance.
 

Company 'put consumers at risk'

Posted: 14 April 2019

UPDATES: An Oldham fulfilment business has been heavily fined after importing and distributing unsafe goods, with the case underlining the consequences for businesses that place consumers at risk through non-compliant products.
 

Dangerous toys found at markets

Posted: 14 April 2019

UPDATES: Trading Standards officers uncovered dangerous toys at local markets that failed UK safety requirements, prompting enforcement action and reinforcing the need for rigorous checks on products sold through temporary retail outlets.