In a bid to crack down on the sales of vapes to young people and prevent them from smoking, Barking and Dagenham Council has launched a Responsible Retailer scheme.

The east London council has run several operations where they have caught businesses selling vapes to children and are determined to stamp it out.

So far, 31 businesses have signed up to the scheme, however this is an ongoing process and the council hope to sign up more.

As well as agreeing to safely and securely store vapes away from young people and prominently display Challenge 25 posters, each business has agreed to:

1. Operate a Challenge 25 age verification policy. A customer attempting to buy vapes who appears to be under 25 years old must be required to provide valid photographic identification.
2. All staff who sell or deliver vapes will be at least 18 and if they’re younger, the sale must be approved by a trained adult.
3. Make sure all staff who sell or approve the sale of vapes are fully trained in the selling of vapes using the Challenge 25 assessment process. A training record must be signed by the employee.
4. Make sure all staff are trained to identify potential customers who may be looking to buy vapes for a young person. 
5. Report any suspicious activity related to the sale of vapes to Trading Standards
6. Maintain a dated refusals log.

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety Said: “We’ve caught several businesses in the borough selling vapes to young people and this is something that we won’t stand for.

“Vapes contain nicotine products which are really addictive and could lead young people on to stronger substances later in life. I’m really pleased that so many businesses have signed up already and I encourage others to do so as well.”

The owner of Sachdeva Mobiles, one of the businesses signed up to the scheme said: “We joined the Responsible Retailer Scheme for safety for ourselves, and to make sure customers know that we abide by the rules and take them seriously.

“We have posters in the shop so customers can see these before they attempt to buy a Vape.”

The council will continue to carry out operations to make sure businesses are not selling vapes to young people under 18. And if they do, they will face enforcement action.

If residents are aware of businesses selling age restricted products to children, they can report them to tradingstandards@lbbd.gov.uk.