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.

Loan sharks on social media warning

Posted: 20 November 2024

UPDATES: Scotland’s illegal money lending watchdog is warning that loan sharks are using social media to target people under financial pressure, as Christmas costs and the wider cost-of-living crisis leave vulnerable borrowers exposed.

Father and son rogues sentenced

Posted: 18 November 2024

UPDATES: A father-and-son roofing operation has been sentenced after targeting elderly and vulnerable residents with unnecessary work, ignoring Trading Standards intervention and returning to extract further payment from victims.

AI 'Granny' fights back against scams

Posted: 18 November 2024

UPDATES: O2’s AI-generated ‘Granny’ has been built to keep phone scammers talking, turning the tactics of fraudsters against them while highlighting the scale of attempted fraud and the need for consumers to report suspicious calls and texts.

Rogue builder hit with PoCA ruling

Posted: 14 November 2024

UPDATES: Bath & North East Somerset Trading Standards has secured a £108,085 Proceeds of Crime Act order against a builder who took large deposits, abandoned work and left customers facing serious financial losses.

'Cowboy builder' brought to justice

Posted: 12 November 2024

UPDATES: A Telford rogue trader who pressured an elderly homeowner into paying more than £60,000 for poor and unnecessary work has received a suspended sentence, underlining the risks faced by vulnerable consumers targeted at home.

Rogue letting agents found guilty

Posted: 11 November 2024

UPDATES: A Tower Hamlets investigation has secured convictions against rogue letting agents who used multiple company names to exploit international students and workers through misleading adverts, unprotected deposits and unlawful rental practices.

Rogue trader guilty on five counts

Posted: 08 November 2024

UPDATES: Walsall Trading Standards has secured guilty verdicts against rogue builder Shane Steven Rollinson, whose poor work, false business identities and attempts to influence witnesses left customers thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Winter fuel payment scam alert

Posted: 07 November 2024

UPDATES: Cheshire West & Chester Trading Standards is warning pensioners about fake winter fuel payment texts that direct recipients to bogus websites and ask for personal and banking details.

East Riding TS make £14,500 seizure

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.

Sham 'slimming pills' trader guilty

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.

Tobacco and Vapes Bill launched

Posted: 06 November 2024

UPDATES: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would phase out tobacco sales by raising the legal age of purchase each year, introduce tighter controls on vaping products and give enforcement teams new powers to tackle underage sales.

Oasis fans hit by ticket scammers

Posted: 05 November 2024

UPDATES: Lloyds Bank figures show Oasis fans are being heavily targeted by ticket scammers, with most reported cases starting on social media and average losses reaching hundreds of pounds.

LBBD TS conducts acid test purchases

Posted: 05 November 2024

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.

Electric blankets tested for safety

Posted: 05 November 2024

UPDATES: Nottinghamshire Trading Standards and fire officers found 170 of 282 electric blankets tested at local events were unsafe, prompting renewed warnings on ageing products, visible damage and the fire risks facing vulnerable residents.

Obituary: Janet Masson

Posted: 30 October 2024

UPDATES: Janet Masson’s career took her from landmark Trade Descriptions Act cases in Southwark to national leadership on food standards and nutrition, leaving colleagues with memories of formidable expertise, warmth and lasting professional influence.