Derby Trading Standards Officer Wins National Award

23 Dec 2025 11:54 AM

Claire Allen, a Trading Standards Officer at Derby City Council, has won the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Product Safety Initiative Award at their annual Hero Awards, held this year in the House of Lords.

The Product Safety Initiative Award recognises individuals or teams who have undertaken outstanding work to remove dangerous goods from the market, prevent harm and strengthen public protection. It celebrates initiatives that improve the safety of products in the United Kingdom and support effective enforcement.

Claire has spent 25 years protecting consumers and is regarded as a specialist in product safety. She has undertaken major safety projects at local and regional level and has repeatedly gone beyond her contracted duties to safeguard residents, particularly children and vulnerable people. Her work has resulted in the recall of thousands of unsafe products, including goods sold through online marketplaces, delivered in partnership with the Office for Product Safety and Standards and accredited testing facilities.

One of her successes was the recall of the ‘Itty Bitty Bot Decorative Robot in a Tin’, which carried serious chemical and choking risks for children. Claire not only initiates recalls and voluntary withdrawals but also ensures that clear safety messages reach schools, libraries and community services so that families understand the risks and know how to respond. Her diligence, technical knowledge and determination have prevented real harm and reduced the likelihood of serious injury or fatality.

Chartered Trading Standards Institute Chief Executive John Herriman said: “Claire’s work has made a critical difference to public safety. Her technical expertise, her commitment to removing dangerous products, and her care for the people she protects, stand out across the profession. This award recognises a career of sustained achievement and her exceptional contribution to consumer safety in Derby and beyond.”

Donna Dowse, Trading Standards Service Manager for Derby City Council said: “After 25 years outstanding service with Trading Standards, it is a huge privilege to celebrate Claire’s unwavering dedication to product safety. Her investigations have led to a raft of unsafe products being removed from the market, ranging from telescopic ladders to fake Labubu dolls.

“Claire’s commitment makes her an invaluable asset to Derby City Council and the consumers she protects. We are incredibly proud that her contributions have been recognised with this award.”

Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) 

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is a national not for profit established in 1881 which supports the UK’s Trading Standards profession, and works to protect consumers and safeguard honest businesses. CTSI's members are engaged in delivering frontline Trading Standards services at local authorities and in businesses. www.tradingstandards.uk 

Please contact CTSI Press Office: pressoffice@tsi.org.uk for any queries.