The UK government has committed £10 million in new funding to help Trading Standards tackle the illegal trade of tobacco and vape products across local communities.
Trading Standards to Recruit 80 New Officers
The announcement, published on GOV.UK on 23 March 2025, outlines plans to fund an estimated 80 new apprentice enforcement officers over the next year.
- Target illicit sales of tobacco and vapes
- Seize non-compliant and untested vape products
- Prevent underage sales and protect public health
Ashley Dalton: Protecting Children from Addiction
CTSI is very welcoming of the announcement of substantial funding for Trading Standards services across England.
This much-needed investment will strengthen our ability to support businesses in complying with current and future tobacco and vaping regulations and will also ensure we are well placed to support the protection of public health.
It also reinforces our commitment to taking firm action against anyone who seeks to harm their local communities by choosing to operate outside the law.
With these additional resources, we can make a real difference in both keeping consumers safe, and ensuring a fair and responsible marketplace.
— John Herriman, Chief Executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)
What the Crackdown Will Target
Trading Standards teams across England and Wales have already seized:
- Over 1 million illegal vapes
- 19 million counterfeit cigarettes
- 5,000+ kg of illicit hand-rolling tobacco
With extra resources and manpower, local officers will work with police and other agencies to track organised crime groups and remove unsafe products from shops and online sellers.
Why It Matters for Vapers and Retailers
This new funding sits alongside broader measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, including:
- A ban on tobacco sales for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009
- New restrictions on vape packaging and flavours
- A proposed licensing system for vape retailers
- £200 on-the-spot fines for underage sales
While some of these changes raise concerns among adult vapers, the crackdown on **illicit sellers** is welcomed by many in the legal vape trade — who have long complained of being undercut by unregulated, often dangerous imports.
Ecigclick’s Take
We fully support enforcement focused on **illegal and non-compliant sellers**. For too long, rogue traders have sold potentially dangerous vapes and given the industry a bad name.
The fact of the matter is that when restrictions and regulations for vapes were first introduced the powers that be should have foreseen the black market trade and provided funding at the time.
While it is better late than never it’s always difficult to get the bull back in it’s pen once it has bolted. The other concern is how much of that budget will be allocated toward illicit vapes?
Last but not least, while £10 million sounds like a lot of money how far will this actually stretch? Will it actually make a difference? I hope so but I have serious doubts.
Considering the lost tax revenue (just for vape products), could, conservatively, be 3-4 times the funding this looks to be woefully underfunded.
We’ll continue to track how this new enforcement effort is implemented on the ground — and whether it really protects both public health and adult smokers trying to quit.
What do you think? A token gesture by the government? Or something that will really make a difference?
