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.
Filtered by tag|Yorkshire and the Humber|Clear Filter
Posted: 01 July 2026
UPDATES: Thousands of illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes worth almost £50,000 have led to two men admitting offences following separate Humberside Police investigations in North East Lincolnshire. The seizures, linked to a nationwide crackdown on illicit tobacco, have sparked criticism over what council leaders describe as unduly lenient sentences ...
Posted: 28 February 2025
UPDATES: A fraudulent solar panel installer has been jailed after deceiving customers out of thousands of pounds, with Trading Standards urging consumers to remain alert to similar home improvement scams.
Posted: 10 February 2025
UPDATES: North Yorkshire Trading Standards has secured fines against a takeaway business after test purchasing showed a curry advertised as ostrich was in fact made with mutton.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Posted: 06 November 2024
UPDATES: East Riding Trading Standards has seized illicit tobacco and vape products worth £14,500 from Goole businesses, with hidden stock found during Operation CeCe raids supported by police and detection dogs.
Posted: 06 November 2024
UPDATES: Hull Trading Standards has secured a conviction against the owner of WHS Sports Nutrition after ‘Slimbod’ slimming pills were found to lack the active ingredient claimed on the packaging.
Posted: 30 September 2024
UPDATES: A company and its director have been fined for making misleading claims about Prosecco following a prosecution by West Yorkshire Trading Standards. The ‘Skinny’ Prosecco 1754 and ‘Skinny’ Rose Prosecco 1754 which were marketed by Prosecco 1754 Ltd first came...
Posted: 25 July 2024
UPDATES: Trading Standards officers, police and a specialist detection dog have visited secondary schools in Redcar and Cleveland to warn pupils about illicit vapes, including devices found to contain synthetic drugs, while reinforcing age-restriction laws and safe disposal.
Posted: 16 July 2024
UPDATES: A long-running North Yorkshire Trading Standards investigation has brought down a gang of rogue builders who defrauded elderly homeowners of more than £1.2m, exposing the devastating scale of organised doorstep crime.
Posted: 02 July 2024
UPDATES: Delegates at the CTSI Conference joined a guided Black History Walk through Leeds, exploring overlooked stories, significant locations and the city's diverse heritage while reflecting on inclusion within the profession.
Posted: 03 June 2024
UPDATES: A counterfeit football kit seller has been ordered to repay more than £118,000 under proceeds of crime legislation, reinforcing that intellectual property offences can carry significant financial consequences.
Posted: 21 March 2024
UPDATES: York Trading Standards has intensified action against illegal disposable vapes, seizing thousands of pounds' worth of products while warning retailers that unlawful sales will result in enforcement action.
Posted: 04 March 2024
UPDATES: A Wakefield retailer and its director have been convicted after a 14-year-old volunteer was sold an oversized disposable vape without any age check, highlighting continuing enforcement against underage and illegal vape sales.
Posted: 15 February 2024
UPDATES: Sheffield Trading Standards has seized around 30,000 illegal vapes worth an estimated £400,000 after officers uncovered oversized devices that may contain prohibited and potentially hazardous substances.
Posted: 16 January 2024
UPDATES: Trading Standards and police uncovered concealed illegal tobacco, cigarettes and vapes hidden behind an electronically controlled hatch in a Huddersfield shop, continuing a wider crackdown on organised criminal networks using sophisticated hiding places.
Posted: 16 May 2023
UPDATES: A shopkeeper has been prosecuted for repeated underage sales, underlining Trading Standards' continued use of test purchasing to protect young consumers.
Posted: 28 April 2023
UPDATES: CTSI and Dogs Trust warn that scammers are exploiting the charity’s reputation by advertising non-existent puppies online, taking upfront payments and sending victims to a rehoming centre address where no animal is waiting.