Seven of nine Nottingham businesses tested in an underage vape operation sold nicotine inhaling products to children without asking for proof of age, according to Nottingham City Council Trading Standards and Nottinghamshire Police.
The test purchase work targeted premises suspected of selling vapes and other nicotine inhaling products to under-18s. Supervised underage volunteers visited nine retailers across the city. In seven cases, they were able to buy the products without being challenged for identification.
For parents and residents, the practical point is clear: suspected underage vape sales can be reported to Trading Standards, while retailers selling nicotine products are being warned to review staff training, Challenge 25 procedures and refusals records immediately.
Seven failures from nine test purchases
The operation produced a high failure rate, but it should be read for what it is: a targeted enforcement exercise, not a citywide survey of every vape seller in Nottingham. The premises were selected because they were suspected of selling nicotine inhaling products to children.
| Test purchase finding | Number |
|---|---|
| Businesses visited | 9 |
| Businesses that failed | 7 |
| Businesses that did not fail | 2 |
Council officers said the results raised serious concerns about whether some retailers are complying with rules designed to stop children accessing nicotine products.
The businesses that failed are now subject to further investigation. Possible outcomes include formal enforcement action, prosecution and further compliance checks.
Child safety concerns behind the operation
The council described the sale of nicotine products to children as a serious public health and safeguarding issue. Nicotine inhaling products, including vapes, are age-restricted because they can be harmful and addictive, particularly for children and young people.
Councillor Matt Shannon, Executive Member for Community Protection, Neighbourhoods and Equalities at Nottingham City Council, said it was “reprehensible” that businesses were willing to illegally sell nicotine products to children.
He said the high failure rate was “deeply alarming” and showed too many retailers were failing in their legal responsibilities. He also warned that the council and police would continue enforcement work and make outcomes public once any court proceedings had concluded.
The findings sit alongside wider concern about underage vape sales in England, where Trading Standards teams have increasingly used test purchases to check whether retailers are asking young-looking customers for ID. A similar underage sales case in Hornchurch vape enforcement shows how local authorities are using joint council and police operations to scrutinise retailers.
Challenge 25 rules retailers are expected to follow
Under the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015, it is illegal to sell nicotine inhaling products to anyone under 18.
Retailers are expected to operate Challenge 25 policies. That means staff should ask for valid identification from anyone who appears to be under 25 before selling nicotine products.
Nottingham City Council Trading Standards is also reminding businesses to keep staff training up to date and maintain refusals registers correctly. A refusals register records attempted purchases that were refused because the customer could not prove they were old enough.
Businesses that need a refusals register can contact Nottingham City Council Trading Standards on 0115 844 5018.
Operation Reclaim and further enforcement
The test purchase operation forms part of wider partnership work supporting Nottinghamshire Police’s Operation Reclaim. The force says the operation is aimed at tackling criminality, protecting communities and making Nottingham safer and more welcoming for residents, workers and visitors.
Chief Inspector Kylie Davies said any business that fails to act responsibly will be dealt with accordingly. She said police had already closed four vape shops in and around the city centre as part of Operation Reclaim, which is tackling criminality including business crime.
Retailers that sell nicotine products in Nottingham now face a direct warning from the council: comply with the law, apply Challenge 25 consistently, or expect enforcement action.
Source: Nottingham City Council
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This report is based on the Nottingham City Council account of a joint Trading Standards and police test purchase operation.
- Confirmed the number of premises visited and the number that failed the test purchase oper...
- Checked the legal reference to the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purch...
- Separated targeted enforcement findings from any wider claim about all Nottingham retailer...
- Included named comments from Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire Police.
- Source
- Nottingham City Council
- Scope
- Nottingham
- Updated
- 2026-06-04 22:55
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