Test purchasing vapes - Find a freedom of information request

Request

For the past 5 years in total up to the latest available data.

1. How many instances of test purchasing vapes were carried out, to combat underage sales of vaping products?

2. How many of these test purchases resulted in the sale of vapes/e-cigarette products to underage individuals?

3. What is the £ cost of carrying out a single test purchase investigation?

Please present this data annually for each of the below periods:

1st January 2023 > 22nd November 2023

1st January 2022 > 31st Dec 2022

1st January 2021 > 31st Dec 2021

1st January 2020 > 31st Dec 2020

1st January 2019 > 31st Dec 2019

Please note: if you are unable to retrieve 5 years of data for the above-requested information within the available FOI cost limit, please reduce the number of years to the last 3 years, or as far back as possible, to the latest available date.

Decision

1-2. Please see table below

Year

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Attempts

13

0

1

35

45

Sales

3

0

0

11

7

Refusals

10

0

1

24

38

3. Information not held.
Reference number
FOI 9594665
Date request received
13/05/24
Date of decision
31/05/24