Shops failed underage vape sale test purchases

In the calendar year 2025:


1) How many shops failed underage vape sale test purchases carried out by your Trading Standards department?


2) How many shops or shop owners were issued with warnings for illegal vape sales?


3) How many shops or shop owners were prosecuted for illegal vape sales?


4) How many shops were issued with closure orders for illegal vape sales?

1. 33 test purchase attempts – 13 failures from 10 shops.

2. 10 shops provided with written warnings for underage vape sales.

27 seizures from 23 shops of non compliant vapes – Six shops received a warning and no further action.

Three further shops issued with fixed penalty notices for having on sale disposable vapes under the Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024.

16 shops received warnings in total and three shops received fixed penalty notices.

3. One prosecution commenced for repeated underage vape sales.

27 seizures from 23 shops of non compliant vapes – prosecutions commenced against 11 shops.

4. In relation to underage vapes sales, none.

27 seizures from 23 shops of non compliant vapes – 10 shops issued with closure orders.