Portsmouth Trading Standards Service

08/09/2026

🚨 Fraudsters rely on catching us off guard and taking advantage of our good manners.

If someone unexpectedly asks for your money, bank details or personal information, it's okay to be impolite. Hang up, close the door, delete the email, or simply say "No."

Take your time, stop and check whether it's genuine before taking any action.

Learn more from the Take Five campaign on their website below.

02/09/2026

ℹ️ V**e retailer update on Va**ng Products Duty.

HMRC is reminding businesses to prepare for Va**ng Duty and Stamps Scheme.

One month to go until Va**ng Products Duty and the Va**ng Duty Stamps Scheme start on the 1st October 2026.

Va**ng Products Duty is a new excise duty on all va**ng liquids manufactured in, or imported into, the UK, whether they contain ni****ne or not.

Find out more here:
www.gov.uk/government/news/one-month-until-va**ng-products-duty-and-the-va**ng-duty-stamps-scheme-start

02/09/2026

Check out the latest product recalls below 👇

28/08/2026

Hoping to get last minute tickets to this weekend?🎤🎶

🚨 Remember to Stop! Think Fraud if you see any tickets offered for sale – particularly on social media.

✅ Only buy tickets from the official promoter, agent or a well known ticketing website.

For further advice on how to avoid ticketing scams please visit:
🔗 https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/ticket-fraud/

Report Fraud

28/08/2026

🚬 Illegal ci******es seized during joint inspection

Portsmouth Trading Standards recently carried out a joint inspection with colleagues from Portsmouth City Council's Environmental Health team.

During the visit, officers discovered and seized a quantity of suspected illegal to***co products from a retail premises in Southsea.

The inspection was carried out to support Environmental Health officers undertaking their statutory duties. Trading Standards officers attended due to concerns arising from a previous attempt to carry out an inspection.

The investigation remains ongoing and, at this stage, we are unable to identify the business involved or any individuals connected to the matter.

The sale of illegal to***co harms legitimate businesses, undermines public health measures and is often linked to wider criminal activity. We will continue to work with our partners to tackle illegal trade and protect consumers.

If you have information about the sale of illegal to***co in Portsmouth, please report it to Trading Standards via our new reporting form on our webpage:

www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/environmental-health/trading-standards

28/08/2026

Thinking about adding a furry member to the family? 🐶🐈‍⬛

Please be alert to fraudsters advertising pets online and check out the advice from Report Fraud. 👇

⚠️Stay alert to fraudsters advertising pets online that may not be real. Protect yourself and buy safely online:

ℹ️ Social media posts are a common way for fraudsters to advertise fake pets for sale.

✅Always arrange to see the pet in-person before sending money.

21/08/2026

👤 Someone you've never met starts messaging you online. They seem friendly. They share your interests. They want to be your friend. But are they really who they say they are?

Criminals often hide behind fake profiles to gain trust and gather personal information. Staying safe starts with being cautious about who you connect with online.

Join Young Friends Against Scams and learn how to spot the warning signs, stay safe online, and help others do the same.

Sign up now: www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/young-friends

20/08/2026

🚨 Something not right? Report it online. 🚨

Portsmouth Trading Standards has launched a new online reporting form to help residents, businesses and partner agencies report concerns quickly and easily.

Whether it's counterfeit goods, illegal to***co, unsafe products, rogue traders or underage sales, your information can help protect local people and businesses.

📸 Upload photos and evidence
📝 Provide key details in one place
🎯 Help us target enforcement activity where it's needed most
👉 Report an incident or your concerns on the link below.

See it... Report it... Help us stop it.

📢 Please share to help spread the word across Portsmouth.

**eEnforcement

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19/08/2026

🚨 Not every online stranger is a new friend.

Fake profiles and scam accounts are designed to gain your trust before asking for personal information, money, or access to your accounts.

Learn how to spot the signs and stay one step ahead.

✅ Sign up as a Young Friend Against Scams
✅ Build your scam awareness skills
✅ Help create a safer online community

Sign up now: www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/young-friends

18/08/2026

🔥 Disposable BBQs should not be sold during the current hot and dry weather conditions.

Although cooler temperatures and some rain are forecast, many parks, grassed areas and open spaces remain very dry after prolonged warm weather, meaning the risk of fires is still significant.
Government guidance states that disposable BBQs can pose a serious risk to public safety and the environment during periods of heightened fire risk. They can easily ignite dry grass and vegetation, putting people, wildlife and property at risk.

✅ Retailers are expected to remove disposable BBQs from sale, both in stores and online. Our Trading Standards team is working proactively with businesses to ensure products are removed from sale and will respond to any reports received.
Access the full government guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/statutory-guidelines-on-disposable-bbqs

If you spot disposable BBQs being sold locally, please report the matter via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service:
👉 https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards/

Together we can help reduce the risk of fires and protect our communities and green spaces.

Temporary ban issued on sale of disposable BBQs by UK government due to “significant risk to public” in heatwave.

Read more: https://bbc.in/461dlQ0