Government proposes vape retailer licensing to protect children

Retailers in England and Wales could soon be required to hold a licence to sell vapes, nicotine products and tobacco under new government proposals aimed at tackling underage sales and youth vaping.

The proposed licensing scheme is set out in a call for evidence published as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The legislation would ‘close a major gap in the law’ that currently allows any business to sell vapes without a licence, and is intended to support enforcement, protect legitimate retailers, and prevent illicit sales targeting children, the government said.

The new rules would give enforcement officers powers to shut down retailers selling without a licence, with rogue traders facing unlimited fines or fixed penalties of £2,500.

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Health minister Stephen Kinnock said: ‘Our new proposals will better protect children by rooting out the rogue retailers blighting our high streets and help adults know which shops are selling legitimate products.

‘We want expert views on how we can develop the strongest possible regulations to protect our children as part of our plan for change, while ensuring adult smokers can still use vapes to quit smoking.’

The call for evidence also seeks views on regulating flavours, nicotine strength, ingredients, packaging and the appearance of vaping devices.

Areas under review include whether certain substances should be banned, whether vapes with digital screens should be restricted, and how product design influences appeal among young people.

Research from King’s College London and University College London found that 53% of children aged 11 to 18 were interested in trying vapes when shown branded packaging and flavours.

This dropped to 38% when the same products were presented in plain packaging with simple flavour descriptions. Among adults, interest remained unchanged.

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The government said it was also exploring a new registration system for every tobacco, vape or nicotine product sold in the UK. This would aim to prevent unsafe or misleading products from reaching the market and give consumers and retailers greater confidence in what is being sold.

As it stands, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently at committee stage in the House of Lords, will ban advertising and sponsorship of vaping and nicotine products.

Further consultations are expected in 2026 on vape-free and smoke-free places, packaging and in-store displays.

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: ‘The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a world-leading piece of legislation with the potential to dramatically change how tobacco and vapes are sold – bringing in a smoke-free generation, taking us closer to a smoke-free country and protecting children from vaping.

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‘Ensuring the regulations are shaped by the best available evidence is vital to ensure the bill has its intended impact.’

The call for evidence is open to retailers, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, academics, public health bodies and members of the public, and runs until 3 December 2025.