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UPDATES: The Government has announced a major crackdown on “cowboy” cosmetic procedures, targeting unqualified practitioners and high-risk treatments. New rules will restrict who can carry out procedures such as non-surgical BBLs, tighten oversight of fillers and Botox, and introduce stronger protections for under-18s, following mounting evidence of serious harm ...

UPDATES: The Government plans tougher regulation of cosmetic procedures, restricting higher-risk treatments to appropriately qualified professionals as part of wider efforts to improve patient safety and tackle poor practice.

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UPDATES: CTSI is urging urgent regulation of the booming cosmetic IV drip sector after a Channel 4 investigation exposed widespread safety failings. Unsupervised glutathione drips are being offered in salons and online, with users suffering serious health risks. Trading Standards is calling for a licensing scheme and stricter oversight to protect consumers from this unregulated “wild west” of beauty treatments ...

UPDATES: CTSI is urging ministers to regulate intravenous cosmetic treatments after an investigation exposed widespread safety failings, highlighting growing concerns over unregulated aesthetic procedures and consumer harm.

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ANALYSIS: Nicotine pouches have surged onto the UK market with little regulation - and Trading Standards are already seizing thousands. This article explores why these products worry public health experts, how they’ve slipped through legal loopholes, and how the Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to rein in marketing, protect children and bring long-overdue regulation to a fast-growing industry ...

ANALYSIS: Nicotine pouches have moved from a regulatory blind spot to a growing enforcement concern, with Trading Standards teams seizing non-compliant products while ministers prepare age-of-sale, advertising and display restrictions. The piece weighs youth appeal, addiction risks, labelling failures, lab-test findings and the challenge of regulating a fast-moving market before it repeats the mistakes seen with vapes.

UPDATES: Kent Trading Standards has warned of the risks posed by largely unregulated nicotine pouches after seizing tens of thousands of non-compliant products destined for UK consumers.

UPDATES: New government proposals would tighten the rules on online knife sales, increase penalties for illegal supply to under-18s and place greater responsibility on retailers and platforms.

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.

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ANALYSIS: From test purchases to bleed kits and life-saving first-aid training, Barking & Dagenham Trading Standards is taking a proactive, partnership-led approach to tackling knife crime. This article explores how local enforcement, youth education and tighter controls on knife sales are working together to prevent harm – and why stronger online age-verification laws are a crucial next step ...

ANALYSIS: Test purchasing and intelligence-led enforcement continue to expose weaknesses in age-restricted knife sales. The latest activity highlights both progress made and the challenges that remain.

UPDATES: Barking and Dagenham officers found failures in retailer controls on high-strength corrosive products, using test purchases to reinforce age restrictions, EPP licence requirements and the serious consequences of non-compliance.

UPDATES: CTSI has launched a campaign warning of the dangers posed by illegal cosmetic products including skin lightening creams, teeth whitening kit.

UPDATES: Trading Standards officers stepped up Halloween safety checks as cost-of-living pressures increased demand for cheaper costumes and seasonal goods, targeting unsafe products before they reached families and helping shoppers celebrate safely.

UPDATES: CTSI has welcomed Government plans to create a smoke-free generation by progressively raising the legal age for tobacco sales, alongside proposed measures to reduce children's access to and attraction towards vapes.

ANALYSIS: Back in the mid-80s there was a band that went by the name Color Me Badd. Whilst I thought it was an unusual name for a pop group, the name stuck with me as I...

UPDATES: More than 300 unsafe electrical heaters destined for online sale were intercepted at Felixstowe after inspectors identified serious electrocution risks, preventing potentially dangerous products from reaching consumers.

UPDATES: A business owner who failed to take measures to protect the public during a firework display has been...

UPDATES: Consumers are being warned to stay alert to New Year health and wellbeing scams as fraudsters exploit seasonal resolutions with misleading products and false claims.

UPDATES: A leading figure in product safety has been recognised in the New Year Honours for decades of work supporting businesses, regulators and consumer protection.