Council warns over underage vape sales as court fines Peterhead shopkeeper

Aberdeenshire Council’s Trading Standards has stressed it will not tolerate retailers breaking the law and selling tobacco or nicotine vape products to anyone under the age of 18.

Earlier this year, six shops in Peterhead were visited as part of a test purchase operation for disposable vapes and cigarettes.

Despite the law around sales being very clear, one town centre shopkeeper made no effort to establish the young person’s age – despite the fact that she was only 16 years of age – and he was reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

He was recently convicted at Peterhead Sheriff Court for selling a vape to an underage test purchase volunteer and fined £400.

While this was the only failure during that particular compliance check, officials said it’s still disappointing to find that there are some shopkeepers who are prepared to flout the law on selling age-restricted products to young people, especially when concerns are mounting about the effects of vaping on young peoples’ health.

“The resulting fine alongside the criminal conviction sends a strong message to sellers of vaping products that we will not tolerate them supplying to those who are under the legal age, and we will take action where such illicit activities are identified,” Gordon Buchanan, protective services manager at Aberdeenshire Council, said.