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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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Taking a stand against counterfeits

Posted: 28 June 2023

ANALYSIS: Something is happening in Manchester’s Cheetham Hill. Known as Britain’s ‘counterfeit capital’, a handful of streets have been home to dozens of organised crime gangs for as long as most Mancunians can remember. The UK...
 

Making regulation work better

Posted: 15 February 2023

ANALYSIS: Professor Chris Hodges argues that regulation works best when it focuses less on outputs and punishment, and more on trust, cooperation and real-world outcomes. Drawing on aviation, finance and Trading Standards, he makes the case for outcome-based cooperative regulation that supports ethical cultures while retaining consequences for serious wrongdoing.
 

Allergens: a matter of life and death

Posted: 15 February 2023

ANALYSIS: Natasha’s Law has strengthened allergen labelling for pre-packed food, but patchy awareness, supplier changes and limited local authority resources still leave consumers at risk. Through the work of David Pickering, Dilys Harris and the family of Megan Lee, the article shows why allergen compliance is a life-saving duty, not a technical formality.
 

Touchstone winners make their mark

Posted: 08 February 2023

ANALYSIS: In June 2022 the British Hallmarking Council (BHC) Touchstone Award was presented at the CTSI Conference in Bristol....
 

Apprenticeships: a class act

Posted: 06 February 2023

ANALYSIS: For some of us, finding ourselves back at our old schools is the stuff of anxiety-inducing bad dreams;...
 

The work of a lifetime

Posted: 24 January 2023

ANALYSIS: Hallmarking has been enforced in Great Britain since the 14th century. CTSI Fellow Robert Grice has not been...
 

Fighting for children's rights

Posted: 23 January 2023

ANALYSIS: Baroness Beeban Kidron explains why protecting children online demands stronger legislation, greater corporate responsibility and international cooperation as digital technologies reshape childhood.
 

Old problems, new solutions

Posted: 23 January 2023

ANALYSIS: Hallmarking has safeguarded consumers for centuries, but changing markets present new challenges. This feature examines why the system remains essential and how it continues to evolve.
 

All change on the high street

Posted: 17 January 2023

ANALYSIS: Thousands of shop closures reflect deeper shifts in consumer behaviour, retail economics and the legacy of the pandemic, forcing town centres to rethink their future.
 

LBBD takes on underage sales

Posted: 16 January 2023

ANALYSIS: Barking and Dagenham Trading Standards explains its work tackling underage sales, using test purchasing and enforcement to reduce young people's access to knives, tobacco, alcohol and vapes.
 

New fireworks rules in Scotland

Posted: 03 November 2022

ANALYSIS: Scotland's tightening of fireworks controls introduces restricted sale and use times, lower purchase limits and new offences around proxy buying for under-18s, with further licensing and supply restrictions still expected.
 

Scammers exploit cost-of-living woes

Posted: 28 September 2022

ANALYSIS: New fraud data shows scammers exploiting cost-of-living support, with bogus energy rebates, council tax refunds and payment messages mimicking official schemes. The warning highlights how financial pressure is creating fresh opportunities for criminals.
 

Trading Standards: A lifelong ally

Posted: 25 August 2022

ANALYSIS: Looking beyond individual cases, this feature examines how Trading Standards quietly protects consumers throughout their lives, preventing harm, supporting fair markets and delivering benefits that often go unnoticed.
 

Short-weights hit consumers' pockets

Posted: 24 August 2022

ANALYSIS: A detailed short-weights survey reveals the scale of underfilled products reaching shop shelves, examining inspection findings, their impact on consumers and the enforcement action needed to improve compliance.
 

The CoF's supporting role

Posted: 06 July 2022

ANALYSIS: The CTSI College of Fellows provides emergency welfare support, education grants, research funding and professional expertise to members and their families. This feature explores how the charity is helping the profession through financial assistance, career development and a growing network of support.
 

Agents of change

Posted: 25 June 2022

ANALYSIS: Efforts to improve transparency in the property market are encouraging estate and letting agents to publish material information earlier in the sales process, reducing failed transactions and giving consumers greater confidence.
 

Cost-of-living pressure points

Posted: 25 June 2022

ANALYSIS: Rising prices, soaring energy bills and wider economic uncertainty are reshaping consumer behaviour and enforcement priorities. This analysis considers the implications of the cost-of-living crisis for trading standards.
 

Hiding in plain sight

Posted: 24 June 2022

ANALYSIS: Operation CeCe has strengthened the fight against illicit tobacco through new funding and closer partnership working, but frontline officers argue that limited resources, inconsistent intelligence sharing and inadequate follow-up continue to hamper efforts against organised criminal networks.
 

Understanding the ABCs of CBD

Posted: 07 June 2022

ANALYSIS: Rapid growth in the CBD market has created complex regulatory challenges. This analysis explains the legal status of cannabidiol, the distinction from medicinal cannabis, novel food requirements and the practical enforcement issues facing Trading Standards.
 

Weighing up the options

Posted: 31 May 2022

ANALYSIS: As ministers revisit the use of imperial measurements, this examines the practical, economic and regulatory implications of reintroducing imperial markings, asking whether the proposal would benefit consumers or simply create unnecessary complexity.