Nottingham vape checks raise child safety concerns: what residents need to know

Seven out of nine Nottingham businesses visited during an underage vape test purchase operation sold nicotine inhaling products to children without asking for proof of age, according to Nottingham City Council Trading Standards and Nottinghamshire Police.

The operation focused on retailers suspected of selling vapes and other nicotine inhaling products to under-18s. Supervised underage volunteers were sent into nine premises across the city. Seven completed sales without challenging the young buyers for identification.

The failure rate has put fresh pressure on retailers to prove they are following age-restricted sales rules, particularly as concerns continue over children’s access to highly addictive nicotine products. A related Munisha report on Nottingham vape checks set out the same enforcement picture as local authorities prepare further action.

Seven failed sales in nine visits

The test purchase work was carried out by Trading Standards officers with Nottinghamshire Police as part of wider activity linked to Operation Reclaim. The police-led operation is aimed at tackling criminality, protecting communities and improving safety in and around Nottingham.

Officials said the Nottingham checks targeted businesses already suspected of selling nicotine products to children. The council said the outcome showed too many retailers were failing to meet their legal responsibilities at the point of sale.

For parents and schools, the finding is likely to reinforce concerns about how easily some children can obtain vapes despite age limits. For legitimate retailers, it is a reminder that a single unlawful sale can trigger formal investigation, follow-up inspections and potential prosecution.

Challenge 25 rules for vape retailers

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, meaning staff should ask for valid identification from anyone who appears to be under 25.

The same duties apply whether a shop is selling disposable vapes, refill products or other nicotine inhaling products covered by the regulations. Staff training, consistent checks and clear refusal procedures are all part of basic compliance.

Nottingham City Council said retailers should make sure training is up to date, Challenge 25 is being applied consistently, and refusals registers are maintained correctly. Businesses that need a refusals register can contact Nottingham City Council Trading Standards on 0115 844 5018.

Enforcement linked to Operation Reclaim

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 that too many retailers were failing in their legal responsibilities. The council will continue working with Nottinghamshire Police and has said the outcome of enforcement action will be made public once any court proceedings have concluded.

Chief Inspector Kylie Davies said businesses that fail to act responsibly will be dealt with accordingly. She said four vape shops in and around the city centre had already been closed as part of Op Reclaim, which is also targeting business crime.

Further investigations now under way

The seven businesses that failed the underage test purchase operation are now subject to further investigation. Formal action could include prosecution and additional compliance checks.

The council’s message to retailers is direct: anyone selling nicotine products must be able to show that staff are trained, identification checks are routine, and refusals are properly recorded.

Councillor Shannon said: “If you sell nicotine products, this is your warning: make sure you are doing so responsibly and in full compliance with the law, or you can expect enforcement action.”

Source: Nottingham City Council

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This report is based on Nottingham City Council’s account of the test purchase operation and named police enforcement context.

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• Checked the number of premises tested and the number that failed.
• Matched the legal context to the cited nicotine age-of-sale regulations.
• Verified the named enforcement partners: Nottingham City Council Trading Standards and Not...
• Separated confirmed enforcement action from possible future prosecution.

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Nottingham City Council

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Nottingham

Updated

2026-06-05 11:54

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Article contextPeople & topics2#7

Matt ShannonKylie Davies

#Challenge 25#Nottingham#Nottinghamshire Police#Operation Reclaim#retail enforcement#trading standards#underage vape sales

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