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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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Tougher laws on knife sales

Posted: 22 January 2025

UPDATES: Following the Southport tragedy, the Government is accelerating tougher age-verification rules for online knife sales, with significant implications for retailers and consumer protection enforcement.
 

Hefty fine for Oxfordshire trader

Posted: 15 January 2025

UPDATES: A substantial court penalty for an Oxfordshire trader underlines the consequences of breaching consumer protection law and reinforces the importance of robust local enforcement.
 

Runaway rogue roofer jailed

Posted: 14 January 2025

UPDATES: A persistent rogue roofer has been jailed after leaving consumers out of pocket, demonstrating the impact of coordinated Trading Standards investigations and successful prosecution.
 

'Abrasive' rogue builder jailed

Posted: 13 January 2025

UPDATES: Another rogue builder has received a custodial sentence after exploiting householders, sending a clear message that serious consumer fraud will be pursued through the courts.
 

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.
 

Cigarettes sold to 13-year-old

Posted: 08 January 2025

UPDATES: A Bradford shop sold cigarettes to a 13-year-old volunteer during a West Yorkshire Trading Standards test purchase, despite prior warnings about underage sales. The case underlines the continuing need for age checks, public reporting and enforcement against retailers that put children at risk.
 

Shop fined for selling illicit tobacco

Posted: 07 January 2025

UPDATES: Barking and Dagenham Trading Standards secured fines and costs of more than £5,000 after counterfeit tobacco was found at a Dagenham shop during an Operation CeCe inspection. The case reinforces the public health and consumer protection risks posed by illicit tobacco sales.
 

Rotherham TS releases vape figures

Posted: 07 January 2025

UPDATES: Rotherham Trading Standards and local police removed £563,000 worth of counterfeit vapes from shops during 2024, with some products found to contain harmful contaminants. The figures show the scale of illicit vape enforcement ahead of the disposable vapes ban coming into force in June 2025.
 

Illegal Fire stick seller jailed

Posted: 06 January 2025

UPDATES: A major investigation into the sale of illegally modified Fire TV sticks has ended with a prison sentence, highlighting the scale of copyright crime and the collaborative work behind a successful prosecution.
 

Dangerous goods intercepted at port

Posted: 06 January 2025

UPDATES: Trading Standards officers have intercepted unsafe imported goods before they reached consumers, underlining the importance of border enforcement in preventing hazardous products entering the UK market.
 

Imported plastic steps fail safety tests

Posted: 19 December 2024

UPDATES: Safety testing has identified serious defects in imported plastic steps, prompting enforcement action and reinforcing the need for robust product compliance before goods reach consumers.
 

Flammable furniture removed from sale

Posted: 19 December 2024

UPDATES: Enforcement action has removed unsafe upholstered furniture from sale after fire safety concerns were identified, demonstrating how product regulation protects consumers from potentially life-threatening risks.
 

Almost 10,000 cigarettes seized

Posted: 18 December 2024

UPDATES: A significant seizure of illicit cigarettes has disrupted the illegal tobacco trade while highlighting the wider links between counterfeit goods, organised crime and consumer harm.
 

Home improvement fraudsters jailed

Posted: 18 December 2024

UPDATES: Rogue traders who targeted householders with fraudulent home improvement work have been jailed following a lengthy investigation, sending a strong deterrent message to offenders operating in the sector.
 

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.
 

Shop fined for vape sale to minor

Posted: 06 December 2024

UPDATES: A retailer has been fined after selling a vape to an underage customer, reinforcing the importance of age-restricted sales enforcement and retailer compliance.
 

Sniffer dog Boo scares illicit sellers

Posted: 06 December 2024

UPDATES: Specialist detection dog Boo continues to play a valuable role in uncovering illicit tobacco, demonstrating how innovative enforcement techniques are helping disrupt the illegal market.
 

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.
 

Knives illegally sold to under-18s

Posted: 03 December 2024

UPDATES: Lancashire test-purchase operations have exposed widespread illegal knife sales to under-18s, with young volunteers able to buy bladed items from more than a third of shops visited during Operation Sceptre.
 

Closure Order for illegal vape shop

Posted: 02 December 2024

UPDATES: Reading Trading Standards has secured a three-month Closure Order against a shop linked to years of illicit tobacco and vape sales, following repeated seizures, hidden stock discoveries and complaints about sales to children.