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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Free DMCC Act training launched

Posted: 23 January 2025

UPDATES: CTSI is offering free training for members on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, covering new online consumer protections, enforcement powers and rules affecting tech firms, marketplaces and sellers.

Shepherd sentenced for welfare offences

Posted: 23 January 2025

UPDATES: Enforcement work by Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards has resulted in a suspended sentence for a shepherd who committed animal welfare and farming standards offences, leaving the decaying.

Consumers urged to avoid diet scams

Posted: 22 January 2025

UPDATES: Consumers are being warned to steer clear of quick-fix weight-loss products and fake online pharmacies as Trading Standards highlights the risks posed by unproven diet scams and misleading health claims.

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.

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.

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.