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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: Weapons of mass distraction

Posted: 13 January 2025

OPINION: Distraction can be a powerful tactic in public debate and policy. This commentary considers why staying focused on the real issues matters more than ever for Trading Standards.
 

Opinion: Words of power

Posted: 13 January 2025

OPINION: The language used by regulators, businesses and campaigners can shape behaviour as much as policy itself. Clear communication remains a powerful tool for consumer protection.
 

Opinion: Let's make things possible

Posted: 13 January 2025

OPINION: Progress depends on creating the conditions for success rather than simply identifying obstacles. This piece explores a positive, practical approach to leadership and change.
 

Opinion: Hitting the road

Posted: 13 January 2025

OPINION: As the profession continues to evolve, travelling new roads brings fresh opportunities alongside difficult decisions. Reflection, resilience and ambition are central themes.
 

E-bike safety: a burning issue

Posted: 13 January 2025

ANALYSIS: E-bike and e-scooter battery fires have turned a popular form of transport into an urgent product safety challenge. From online marketplaces and conversion kits to gaps in regulation and enforcement, campaigners, fire chiefs and Trading Standards are pressing for stronger rules before more families suffer devastating losses.
 

Speaking out for consumers

Posted: 13 January 2025

ANALYSIS: As scams become more convincing and consumer rights harder to navigate, Trading Standards leaders argue that prevention must start earlier and reach further. This piece looks at the case for inclusive consumer education, better school-age awareness and practical partnerships that help people protect themselves before harm is done.
 

Interview: Justin Madders MP

Posted: 13 January 2025

ANALYSIS: With a new government, major consumer legislation and growing pressure on local enforcement, Justin Madders sets out how ministers view Trading Standards’ role in safer markets and economic growth. The interview ranges from online marketplaces and product safety to Net Zero, regulatory reform and the value of properly supported local expertise.
 

Profile: A job well done

Posted: 13 January 2025

ANALYSIS: After six decades in Trading Standards, Peter Tompkins reflects on a profession transformed by social change, new legislation and severe funding pressures. His memories of Weights and Measures, farm inspections, prosecutions and business advice offer a warm but clear-eyed account of what the service has lost, retained and still needs.
 

Analysis: Out with the old

Posted: 13 January 2025

ANALYSIS: Labour’s legislative programme promises major changes for product safety, online markets, tobacco and vapes, renting and housebuilding. For Trading Standards, the question is not whether these reforms matter, but whether already stretched services will receive the powers, clarity and funding needed to enforce them effectively.
 

OPSS examines emerging risks

Posted: 09 January 2025

UPDATES: OPSS’s first Horizon Scan places jetpacks and human implant technology among the emerging developments with the greatest potential consumer risk. The report also highlights online marketplaces, social commerce and fast-changing supply chains as areas where regulation and market surveillance will need to keep pace.
 

Opinion: A weigh-in a manger

Posted: 20 December 2024

OPINION: Seasonal traditions provide the backdrop for a thoughtful reflection on weights and measures, professional standards and the enduring relevance of Trading Standards work in everyday life.
 

Celebrating the CTSI Hero Awards 2024

Posted: 12 December 2024

UPDATES: The CTSI Hero Awards recognise individuals and teams whose dedication, innovation and commitment have made an outstanding contribution to consumer protection and the Trading Standards profession.
 

American candy Christmas warning

Posted: 04 December 2024

UPDATES: Imported American sweets, snacks and fizzy drinks are under renewed scrutiny this Christmas, as CTSI warns parents and retailers about products with missing UK labelling, undeclared allergens and unauthorised additives found in high-street shops.
 

NTS data: over a million vapes seized

Posted: 27 November 2024

UPDATES: New National Trading Standards figures show more than 1.19 million illegal vapes and 19 million illicit cigarettes were seized in England in 2023/24, underlining the scale of enforcement pressure on unsafe products and underage sales.
 

Profile: Can-do attitude

Posted: 26 November 2024

ANALYSIS: Kristina Hann’s Trading Standards career has taken in disability, discrimination, elite swimming, rogue trader investigations and life with assistance dog Louis. Her story is a sharp reminder that reasonable adjustments open doors, while low expectations close them.
 

Avoid the scammers this Black Friday

Posted: 25 November 2024

UPDATES: Worcestershire Trading Standards is urging Black Friday shoppers to stay alert to bogus websites, counterfeit goods and unsafe payment requests, while reminding consumers of their cancellation and refund rights when online bargains go wrong.
 

AI 'Granny' fights back against scams

Posted: 18 November 2024

UPDATES: O2’s AI-generated ‘Granny’ has been built to keep phone scammers talking, turning the tactics of fraudsters against them while highlighting the scale of attempted fraud and the need for consumers to report suspicious calls and texts.
 

Winter fuel payment scam alert

Posted: 07 November 2024

UPDATES: Cheshire West & Chester Trading Standards is warning pensioners about fake winter fuel payment texts that direct recipients to bogus websites and ask for personal and banking details.
 

Tobacco and Vapes Bill launched

Posted: 06 November 2024

UPDATES: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would phase out tobacco sales by raising the legal age of purchase each year, introduce tighter controls on vaping products and give enforcement teams new powers to tackle underage sales.
 

Oasis fans hit by ticket scammers

Posted: 05 November 2024

UPDATES: Lloyds Bank figures show Oasis fans are being heavily targeted by ticket scammers, with most reported cases starting on social media and average losses reaching hundreds of pounds.