West Wickham shop fined for selling vape to 14 year old

The council’s Trading Standards service has been helping to protect Bromley’s young people from harm by carrying out enforcement action on the illegal sales of vapes and other age-restricted products to underage customers.

As a result of complaints to the council, the team worked with a 14-year-old volunteer to carry out a test purchase of an Elf Bar 600 puff ‘grape’ vape at MVE Mobile Vape Exchange on High Street, West Wickham. The underage volunteer was not challenged by the seller and the transaction was completed.

At a hearing at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 10 September 2024, Mr Raj Kumar Nanda, director of Vape & Mobile UK Limited, admitted on behalf of the company to carrying out the sale of a vape to a minor.

Councillor Page, Executive Councillor for Public Protection and Enforcement, said “This conviction sends a strong message to all that this is a serious matter. Our Trading Standards team works in support of local businesses to ensure they are aware of their obligations to protect young people and to help protect themselves by asking retailers to challenge anyone who appears under the age of 25.”

Councillor Page added, “We are determined to protect young people from the unlawful sale of age-restricted products which may cause them or others harm now or in the future and will take enforcement action where needed.”

Vape & Mobile Ltd was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine, £423 in costs and a £400 court surcharge, totalling £1,823.

Residents and consumers are encouraged to report any concerns of retailers selling age-restricted products to children in the borough to the Trading Standards team at trading.standards@bromley.gov.uk or to Citizens Advice at 0808 223 1133.

It is a criminal offence for any person to sell a nicotine-inhaling product to a person under 18 years of age by virtue of section 92 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Upon conviction, the seller is liable to a fine of up to £2,500.