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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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Paying the price for poor legislation

Posted: 10 July 2024

ANALYSIS: Animal health and welfare enforcement carries profound consequences for public health, farming and consumer confidence, yet outdated legislation continues to frustrate effective action. This analysis considers where the legal framework falls short and argues for reforms that would give enforcement officers the powers modern challenges demand.
 

Special report: Food for thought

Posted: 10 July 2024

ANALYSIS: Food allergies can make accurate labelling a matter of life and death. This special report investigates the responsibilities of manufacturers, retailers and regulators, explores continuing weaknesses in allergen information, and considers how legislation, technology and enforcement can work together to better protect consumers.
 

Inspiring new recruits

Posted: 08 July 2024

ANALYSIS: Encouraging more young people into Trading Standards requires visibility as well as opportunity. Reporting from a careers event organised with the REACH Society, this feature highlights efforts to broaden recruitment, improve representation and introduce the profession to talented future officers from diverse backgrounds.
 

The devil's in the detail

Posted: 08 July 2024

ANALYSIS: The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act represents one of the biggest changes to consumer law in years. This assessment examines its development, new enforcement powers and what the legislation will mean in practice for Trading Standards.
 

Hitting the brakes on admin fees

Posted: 03 July 2024

ANALYSIS: Hidden administration fees in the used car market prompted complaints and enforcement action. Discover how Trading Standards challenged the practice, the legal issues involved and the wider implications for dealers and consumer confidence.
 

To serve them all my days...

Posted: 03 July 2024

ANALYSIS: Retirement does not always mark the end of public service. This feature reflects on the many former Trading Standards professionals who continue contributing their expertise, experience and commitment in new voluntary and public-facing roles.
 

Setting the gold standard

Posted: 02 July 2024

ANALYSIS: From the Tower of London to modern South Wales, the Royal Mint's remarkable history reveals how technological change, decimalisation and innovation transformed one of Britain's oldest institutions.
 

The high price of illicit tobacco

Posted: 06 June 2024

ANALYSIS: Hidden tobacco caches across Newham illustrate the scale and sophistication of the illicit tobacco trade, examining its links to organised crime, community harm and the enforcement challenges facing trading standards.
 

Trading Standards on the home front

Posted: 19 February 2024

ANALYSIS: As soaring rents and shrinking supply place unprecedented pressure on tenants, this feature examines the consumer protection challenges emerging across the private rented sector and the increasingly important role of Trading Standards in tackling poor practice.
 

Scams after-care: a problem shared

Posted: 19 February 2024

ANALYSIS: Fraud does not end when the money is lost. Examining the lasting impact on victims - particularly older people - this feature explores why effective after-care, partnership working and long-term support are essential to tackling scams.
 

Degrees of compliance

Posted: 19 February 2024

ANALYSIS: From accommodation and contracts to misleading marketing and hidden costs, students face a range of consumer risks. This feature considers how compliance, education and enforcement can better protect those entering higher education.
 

Consumer Scotland: an eye to the future

Posted: 15 January 2024

ANALYSIS: As Consumer Scotland approaches its third year, its evidence-led work is shaping policy on the cost of living, essential services and the transition to Net Zero, while balancing the competing interests of today's consumers and future generations.
 

Time to talk about mental health

Posted: 15 January 2024

ANALYSIS: Cornwall Trading Standards' Speak Out to Help Out initiative tackles the growing mental health crisis affecting farmers, recognising how financial pressures, isolation and emotional strain can threaten both personal wellbeing and animal welfare.
 

Council funding on a cliff-edge

Posted: 15 January 2024

ANALYSIS: Mounting deficits, Section 114 notices and shrinking budgets are pushing councils towards financial crisis. What does this mean for Trading Standards services, statutory responsibilities and the future of local consumer protection?
 

Under the skin of illicit practices

Posted: 15 January 2024

ANALYSIS: Tougher legislation has given Trading Standards new powers to tackle illegal cosmetic procedures on under-18s, but enforcing the law against unregistered practitioners operating through social media presents significant practical challenges.
 

Taking Trading Standards seriously

Posted: 10 November 2023

ANALYSIS: Food Standards enforcement is under growing strain as budget cuts, recruitment problems, Brexit pressures and political priorities combine to weaken local capacity. Drawing on the FSA's Our Food 2022 report and Trading Standards voices, this analysis examines why rebuilding the workforce has become an urgent priority.
 

The Windrush Generation Game

Posted: 12 October 2023

ANALYSIS: Using the story of the Windrush generation as its starting point, this feature reflects on migration, identity and diversity within Trading Standards, examining how different life experiences can strengthen consumer protection and the profession itself.
 

Voices of experience

Posted: 12 October 2023

ANALYSIS: CTSI Chair Tendy Lindsay reflects on a career spanning nearly three decades, discussing the experiences that shaped her commitment to social justice, leadership and a more inclusive future for the Trading Standards profession.
 

No safe haven for criminals

Posted: 26 July 2023

ANALYSIS: The Tick Box initiative is urging self storage businesses to tighten due diligence, reject cash-led anonymity and work with Trading Standards to stop criminals using storage units for counterfeit and illicit goods. With millions of pounds of goods seized, the voluntary code aims to make the sector hostile to illegal supply chains.
 

Electric vehicles: Current affairs

Posted: 09 July 2023

ANALYSIS: Exaggerated environmental claims, problems with charging infrastructure, pricing anomalies and ‘optimistic’ predicted driving ranges are creating headaches for some drivers who have already bought electric vehicles (EVs)...