Two underage volunteers working with the council’s trading standards team posed as legitimate customers and visited five stores across Walsall on 29 October.

From their visits, four stores sold nicotine-containing vapes or vape liquid to the underage volunteers, with one store showing compliance, refusing the sale of alcohol.

The exercise took place following complaints about retailers selling vapes to people too young to purchase products legally. The volunteers operate under strict conditions and receive training and support from the team to ensure they feel safe whilst out on exercise.  

Each of the retailers involved had previously received an advisory visit from council officers, during which staff were given guidance on preventing underage sales. All stores receive educational materials on how to act lawfully. 

“ We should absolutely be cracking down on ensuring our retailers comply with the law when selling age-restricted items. There are no excuses for selling vapes to children, and where there is a clear failure, we will rightfully enforce. Our trading standards officers are there to support retailers with all the information and resources they need, and yet some are still failing on their legal duty.

Thank you to our young volunteers who support us with this activity, it’s down to them that we can now proceed with our investigations and continue our efforts to keep the people of Walsall safe and free from harm.
“

Councillor Adam Hicken, Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Safe Communities
Walsall Council

Selling nicotine-containing vapes to individuals under 18 is an offence under The Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 and the Children and Families Act 2014.

The circumstances surrounding the sales will now be investigated, whilst this process takes place the names and addresses of the retailers cannot be disclosed by the council.