No fines yet in Hertfordshire for illegal disposable vape sales despite national ban
Thousands of illicit vapes seized since June 1, but no £200 penalties issued under new law
No traders in Hertfordshire have been fined for selling disposable vapes since a national ban came into force on June 1, according to information released by the county council.
Under the new legislation, any retailer caught selling single-use vapes faces a £200 fine and seizure of the products. But a Freedom of Information response confirms that no fines have yet been issued in Hertfordshire under the new powers.
However, the council has continued to act using pre-existing trading standards powers, leading to the seizure of thousands of illicit disposable vapes across the county since June.
Cllr Ajanta Hilton, executive member for public health and community safety, said “far too many” traders were still selling banned or illegal vapes.
“While many retailers have complied with the ban on single-use vapes, far too many have continued to sell them, as well as selling vapes that have always been illegal,” she said.
“Those illegal vapes will not have been through the same safety checks as legal ones.”
Cllr Hilton added that trading standards teams were actively working to protect the public, especially children, by disrupting the illegal supply of non-compliant vape and tobacco products.
“Our Trading Standards team recently led a multi-agency operation across Hertfordshire, finding and seizing illicit vapes and tobacco products, disrupting their distribution and bringing those selling them to account,” she said.
The ban on single-use vapes was introduced to address rising use among children and reduce environmental waste, with an estimated five million disposable vapes previously being discarded each week in the UK.
Businesses unsure about their legal responsibilities are encouraged to seek advice from the county’s Trading Standards service.