Illegal tobacco, vapes and cash seized

Officers from Heart of the South West Trading Standards took part in a major operation to disrupt the sale of illegal tobacco across the region last week. During Thursday and … Continue reading →

Trading standards finds that some ‘nicotine free vapes’ contain nicotine

Vital sampling work carried out by Heart of the South West Trading Standards has lifted the lid on the sale of ‘nicotine free’ vapes across the region which actually contain … Continue reading →

Illegal tobacco and vapes seized in shops across the region

More than £37,000 of illegal tobacco, vapes and cash was seized by our Trading Standards Officers during a recent operation. The five-week operation during January and February saw officers from … Continue reading →

Children’s beach shoes containing banned levels of plastic-softening chemicals removed from sale

Trading Standards is recommending that children’s plastic beach shoes are tested nationally after some products on sale in Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay were found to contain banned levels of … Continue reading →

Avian Influenza update

In response to the escalating number of cases of avian influenza and continued heightened risk levels in wild birds, an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity measures came … Continue reading →

Check the label; some US-style sweets may contain banned additives

Consumers buying American-style and imported sweets are being urged to check the label to ensure that they do not contain additives banned in the UK. Heart of the South West … Continue reading →

8 scams to be aware of this Christmas

We’re urging consumers to be on their guard against scams as the festive shopping period gets underway. Here are eight types of scams prevalent at this time of year – … Continue reading →

Most businesses inspected are following fireworks rules

Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service recently inspected 49 businesses and shops across Devon and Somerset to ensure they were following firework safety regulations – and we found … Continue reading →

Exeter carer who acted as a loan shark is given community order

A 47-year-old woman has been given a 12-month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work after admitting acting as a loan shark in the Exeter area. Renita Mendoza lent … Continue reading →

Don’t fall for a loan shark. They’re not your friend

With energy prices set to rise and people on lower incomes possibly worrying about their finances this winter, Trading Standards is reminding people not to be tempted by ‘loan sharks’. … Continue reading →