- Request
-
Information on the enforcement activities conducted by Trading Standards in relation to the illegal sale of vaping products to individuals under the age of 18 within your area.
Could you please provide the following information:
1. How many complaints have been made to Trading Standards about traders selling vaping products to under-18s in each of the last five years?
2. How many of these resulted in a) advice, b) warnings, or c) formal prosecution?
3. How many vape test purchases have been conducted in each of the past five years?
4. How many of these resulted in a) advice, b) warnings, or c) formal prosecution? - Decision
-
I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.
1. The following is based on consumer complaints to Lincolnshire Trading Standards
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023 to date 18/12/2023
2
1
0
7
53
32
2. 45 of the 46 businesses identified in the above 95 complaints have received a letter of advice regarding vapes.
The letter contains details around how to ensure products are compliant and details of the age restriction applied to vapes.
1 further business did not receive a letter of advice as they were subject to enforcement action at the time.
32 of the 46 businesses above were subject to a underage sales test purchase.
11 of the 32 businesses sold an age restricted product.
This can be vapes, alcohol, cigarettes, or a combination of these.
2 were prosecuted, 9 received written warnings.
3.
Year
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023 to date 18/12/2023
Attempts
0
13
0
1
35
50
Sales
0
3
0
0
11
8
Refusals
0
10
0
1
24
42
4.2019 – 3 sales – all resulted in written warnings
2022 – 11 sales – 1 Home Office Caution (with other offences identified at time),
1 prosecution (together with other offences identified at the time), 1 prosecution, 8 written warnings.
2023 – 8 sales – 1 prosecution, 4 written warnings, 1 home office caution, 2 investigations commenced.
- Reference number
- FOI 8561541
- Date request received
- 13/12/23
- Date of decision
- 09/01/24