As MPs prepare to vote on Tuesday on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, new data shows that 1.19 million illegal vapes were removed from sale across England in 2023-24
Millions of illicit vapes and tobacco products have been seized as part of a major crackdown, amid warnings that some retailers are selling e-cigarettes to children, which is illegal.
New data released today from National Trading Standards (NTS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) shows that between 2023 and 2024, 1.19 million illegal vapes were removed from sale across England – a 59 per cent increase in the number seized compared to the previous year. The products, which were seized as part of a joint initiative named Operation Joseph, failed to meet basic UK safety standards, with most containing excess nicotine levels.
The latest data also shed light on the sales of vapes to children. Trading Standards said that almost a quarter (24 per cent) of the 775 test purchases conducted in-person between January and March 2024 resulted in illegal sales to under 18s.
The figures were released as MPs prepare to vote on Tuesday on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which prevents anyone born after January 1, 2009 from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought. Health minister Andrew Gwynne said the NTS report shows “just how many illegal and harmful vapes are on our streets, putting consumers and children at risk.”
He added: “To further crack down on illicit trade of tobacco products and vapes, we are investing an extra £10 million to keep these harmful products out of the hands of kids. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement activity, allowing Trading Standards to take swifter action to enforce the law, including on non-compliant products, and closing loopholes.”
The legislation includes a total ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, including displays seen by children and young people such as on buses, in cinemas and in shop windows, bringing them in line with current tobacco restrictions. The bill also includes powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
On-the-spot fines of £200 are included for any shopkeepers found to be selling to anyone under age. Disposable vapes will be banned from June 2025 under separate environmental legislation, while the sale of vapes in vending machines and their free distribution will be stopped.
Meanwhile, Operation CeCe – a joint initiative between NTS and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) running since 2021 – is also continuing to disrupt the illicit tobacco trade. In 2023-24, over 19 million illicit cigarettes and more than 5,103kg of hand-rolling tobacco worth £11.7million were seized by Trading Standards.
Since the operation started three years ago, 46 million illicit cigarettes and 12,600kg of hand-rolling tobacco have been seized, disrupting the illegal trade which undermines efforts to drive down smoking rates – including taxation policies. Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said: “The protection of communities, public health and the safeguarding of honest businesses who are struggling to compete with the flood of illegal products lies at the heart of what Trading Standards does.
“Trading Standards has seized nearly 1.2 million illegal vapes and more than £26 million worth of illicit tobacco so far. But the reality is further action is necessary to remove more illegal – and in many cases dangerous – products from sale.” Richard Las, Director of the HMRC Fraud Investigation Service, said: “Illicit tobacco undermines legitimate retailers, funds wider crime, and harms public health while depriving our vital public services of around £2.2billion a year.
“We will continue to work with partners like Trading Standards to tackle this organised criminal trade that harms our communities. These criminals don’t care who they sell to including children. We urge anyone with information about the smuggling, distribution or sale of illicit tobacco to report it online.”
Kate Pike, Lead Officer for Tobacco and Vaping for the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “Trading Standards officers recognise that it is really important that adult smokers are able to switch to legal compliant vaping products which carry a fraction of the risk of their lethal tobacco habit. These figures show we are working incredibly hard to remove illegal vapes from our communities and to support businesses not to sell to children. We encourage anyone with information about businesses ignoring the law to report to us so we can continue to target our enforcement resources most effectively.”
