Toggle menu

Vape business fined following underage sale

The owner of a vape shop in Salisbury has been prosecuted for selling a disposable vape to a minor following an investigation by Wiltshire Council's trading standards officers.

Published 24 September 2024
Closure notice on Red Power Market Ltd in Salisbury

Red Power Market Ltd, in Minster Street, Salisbury, pleaded guilty at Salisbury Magistrates Court, to selling a disposable vape to a 15-year-old trading standards volunteer. The seller failed to request proof of age, despite the legal age limit for the sale of e-cigarettes being 18 and over. At the hearing, held on Monday 23 September, the business owner was issued with a fine of £500 and ordered to pay other costs of £956.42.

Since opening in October 2023, Red Power Ltd has also been the subject of three separate seizures of illegal tobacco and vape products. Despite seizures and advice, reports into the sale of illegal/non-compliant disposable vapes and illicit tobacco products have continued together with numerous reports of sales of vapes to children.

Cllr Dominic Muns, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: This second court hearing for Red Power Market Ltd relates to the sale of a vape product to a child. Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in the number of complaints of vaping products being sold to children. With these types of products regularly being sold at pocket money prices, manufactured in bright colours and sweet enticing flavours, young people find them attractive.

Our advice to all retailers selling these types of products is to train their staff and implement systems to prevent the sale of such items to children under the age of 18. They should also be aware of the potential consequences if they fail to take adequate precautions.

Officers had previously visited to advise the retailers how to prevent underaged sales prior to the test purchase being carried out, meaning that this further action was taken. I want to thank our trading services team for their diligence and perseverance in this case to achieve these results and showing that we are acting on our Business Plan commitment to safeguard our residents from harm and tackle businesses that aren't complying with the law.

A three-month closure order for the store was granted in August, following an application under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, by Wiltshire Council trading standards officers. The closure order means that only those who are named habitual residents and authorised persons are permitted to enter the address. Anyone else entering the premises is committing a criminal offence and on conviction may be sentenced to 51 weeks imprisonment and/or a fine.

Explore the topic
Topics:

Share this page

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by email