Somerset businesses fined for selling vapes to 15-year-old

Three business owners have been fined for selling vapes to a 15-year-old during a sting operation.

An underage volunteer working with the Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Trading Standards team was illegally sold the products in August 2023.

On 13 March, two business owners in Radstock and a company operating in Bishop Sutton, all pleaded guilty to offences under the Nicotine Inhaling Products Regulation 2015.

One trader also faced a further charge after a large quantity of illegal vapes were seized, which contained more than the legal limit of nicotine.

Trading Standards officers seized the illegal vapes from Yuvi Private Limited, a company operating Bishop Sutton Post Office.

The company was fined £484 for the sale of the vapes and a further £160 for the underage sales offence. It was also ordered to pay costs of £1,781 and a victim surcharge of £260.

Poonnambalam Murali, owner of Costcutter and PKT Stores in Radstock, was fined £322 for selling to an underaged buyer in both premises and ordered to pay costs of £1,569 and a victim surcharge of £250.

Brian Ede, owner of Rings and Things market stall, in Radstock, was also fined £108 and ordered to pay costs totalling £750 and a victim surcharge of £43 as a result of the illegal sale from his premises.

Traders selling nicotine vaping products to underage buyers are being warned they too could face court action.

Cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, Tim Ball, said: “Our Trading Standards team is working hard to stop vapes being made available to under 18s.

“Our test purchasing exercise showed that most traders in our area are complying with the law and did not sell to our underage volunteer which is good news, however, we will continue to make checks on retailers that sell vapes so we can protect consumers from illegal activity and products.”