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20
Oct
North Yorkshire plans crackdown on rogue vape and tobacco traders
North Yorkshire Council is to crackdown on illegal tobacco and vape sales, with new enforcement powers and tougher action against businesses breaking the law.
The council’s executive will consider an updated trading standards enforcement policy on October 27, paving the way for fixed penalty notices for certain offences under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 and giving officers greater scope to tackle rogue traders.
But the council says fines will not be enough to deter deliberate offenders, with prosecution expected to remain the preferred option in serious cases, particularly where businesses sell tobacco or vapes to children.
The new fixed penalty regime comes into force on October 29. Notices will carry a £200 penalty, reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days.
However, the council’s report, which you can read here, warns that the relatively low fines could simply become a cost of doing business for some offenders, many of whom are linked to organised crime.
It proposes reserving fixed penalties for employees caught selling to under-18s and businesses whose breaches appear inadvertent, rather than deliberate. Prosecution would generally be considered more appropriate where traders knowingly flout the law.
1.19 million illegal vapes seized
The proposed changes come amid growing concern over illegal vape sales. National figures cited by the council show more than 1.19 million illegal vapes were seized in England during 2023 and 2024, while almost a quarter of test purchases resulted in vapes being sold unlawfully to children.
The revised policy also formally backs a digital crackdown on online scams led by the national trading standards e-crime team, jointly hosted by North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.
The team works with online platforms and service providers to remove websites and content that mislead consumers, including sites posing as legitimate UK or European businesses while selling poor-quality goods from overseas — or failing to deliver orders altogether.
North Yorkshire Trading Standards receives up to 20 complaints a month about such websites, according to the report. The council says the removal process is often the only practical way to protect consumers when traders are based overseas and difficult to pursue through conventional enforcement.
The approach begins with informal advice, giving businesses an opportunity to comply before takedown action is considered.
The policy, last approved in 2019, has also been updated to reflect the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and changes to the council’s regulatory structure.
Councillor Richard Foster, the council’s Conservative executive member for managing our environment, said:.
This proposed updated policy provides a clear and transparent framework for enforcement, ensuring we can respond effectively to emerging challenges while taking a fair and proportionate approach.
By targeting those who deliberately flout the law and protecting consumers from harm, we are helping to create a level playing field for responsible businesses and safeguarding some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.
The executive is being asked to approve the revised policy, which aims to protect vulnerable consumers and ensure legitimate businesses are not undercut by competitors willing to break the law.
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