A concerning 20% of retailers in Scotland are willing to sell vapes to children, according to new research by the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS).
Test purchases in Scotland with volunteers aged under 18 found one in seven premises sold cigarettes to minors, while one in five sold vapes.
The results were “significantly worse than expected”, according to SCOTTS. This was largely driven by the “child-appealing nature of vapes” and the “wide availability in shops and service premises”, it claimed.
“We will be stepping up efforts this year to support sellers with advice and continue to take enforcement action where sellers break the law,” commented Alex Connell, chair of SCOTSS.
“The bright packaging colours and sugary and fruity flavours are child appealing, and they are too easily available, we would like to see the same display rules applied to nicotine vaping products that are applied to tobacco, i.e. they are kept out of sight in store.”
Last year, 662 test purchases of vapes and 251 of tobacco were attempted across Scotland with young volunteers. Of these, 121 vape sales and 36 tobacco sales were made to under 18s, leading to a total of 263 fixed penalties.
Trading Standards in Scotland said it has seen a “massive surge in the popularity of single-use vapes” over the last few years. Despite the ban introduced on single-use vapes in June, it said vapes remain a “relatively cheap and child-appealing product”.
John Herriman chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute said the findings were extremely concerning: “The law is clear: tobacco and vaping products must not be sold to children. Yet far too many retailers are failing in both their legal and moral duty to protect young people from harm.
“Trading Standards Officers are on the frontline of enforcing these rules, but they cannot do this effectively without the resources needed for boots-on-the-ground action.
“CTSI continues to urge Government to prioritise the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the parliamentary timetable. This legislation is essential to provide the powers and protections needed, including measures to reduce the child appeal of the brightly packaged, flavoured vapes currently flooding UK marketplaces.”
Luke McGarty head of policy & public affairs at SGF said: “SGF believes in responsible community retailing and nicotine vaping products and tobacco products should never be marketed or sold to children. There must be a clear message that anyone found intentionally or repeatedly breaking the law will be punished and could possibly lose their operating licences.
“Our members are well versed in selling age restricted products, and have strict measures in place such as Challenge 25, refusal registers and till prompts to ensure this can’t happen. We recommend that anyone selling these products sign up to the Scottish Tobacco Register and implement similar precautions.”
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