The illegal sale of vaping products to individuals under the age of 18 - Find a freedom of information 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 fines have been issued by Trading Standards to traders for the sale of vaping products to under-18s in each of the last five years, and what is their combined value?

2. What is

a) the median value of fines issued to traders for the sale of vaping products to under-18s over the last five years, and of those,

b) what is the value of

i) the smallest and

ii) the largest fine issued?

Please note, Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) do not issue fines to businesses distributing non compliant vapes, such as on the spot penalty notices.

Fines would be issued through criminal cases taken through the courts by LCC.

As such, cases can take a long time to reach an outcome at court, not all cases will have concluded and so the below does not always relate to the year the product was seized.

Furthermore, criminal prosecutions are not the only enforcement route followed for sellers of non compliant vapes. Warning notices, cautions, closure orders, etc, are all other available outcomes within our enforcement policy, which takes account of previous history.

The below is just those that have been through the courts and resulted in a fine. Court cases can also result in other sanctions, such as community orders, custody, etc.

Please note, LCC started recording vape seizures in 2022, when the issue emerged.

2022 – One fine - £1,500.

2023 – Five fines - £40, £1,200 (repeat underage sale of vapes), £250, £1,000, £500 – Eight further cases pending investigation and/or court outcome.