As the Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves closer to becoming law, convenience store owners are being urged to prioritise age verification compliance or risk losing the ability to sell tobacco and vape products. Under the new legislation, local authorities could limit the number of licences issued—especially near schools or in busy town centres.
In an interview with Better Retailing, Serve Legal CEO Ed Heaver warned that poor compliance could lead to enforcement action, with local Trading Standards cracking down on stores known for not checking ID. “If your shop is failing test purchases, getting your licence back could be a legal battle,” he said.
Serve Legal’s latest audits show worrying trends: compliance in convenience stores can fall to just 47% after 5pm. However, convenience stores are still outperforming specialist vape retailers.