The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has welcomed the King’s Speech announcement that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be back on the legislative agenda, expressing hope that the new administration will allow unfettered debate on the issue.
The trade body noted that the previous government tried to rush this bill through parliament, packed the committee scrutinising it with supportive voices only and refused to allow representatives of the UK’s 5.6 million vapers to be heard.
“We hope that health secretary Wes Streeting will grasp the opportunity this bill presents to improve the health outcomes for millions of smokers by allowing vaping to fulfil its untapped potential to help adult smokers quit,” John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, said.
“This bill, if implemented with thought and care, could be the springboard to getting the country’s smoke-free ambitions back on track, after inaction from the last government caused it to slip backwards by a decade or more.
“The powers contained in this bill have the potential to cause either enormous good or enormous harm for the health outcomes of the nation and this is why our politicians must act with care to get it right.
“At its worst, it could lead to the ban of all flavoured vapes, the end of retail in-store displays and vape products hidden from view just like deadly cigarettes. This would be the worst possible outcome because restricting vape sales would encourage former smokers to return to cigarettes and open the floodgates for black market dealers to take over the supply chain and target vulnerable young people in the process.
“At best, it will give impetus to help the country’s 6.4 million smokers finally quit cigarettes, prevent millions of unnecessary of deaths and save the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds in treatment costs.”
The UKVIA said it will be seeking to work closely with the government to ensure the nation gets the very best outcomes from the Tobacco and Vapes Bill by giving adult smokers the best opportunity to quit and protect young people from an age-gated product.
“This is why we feel it is vital that industry and consumer voices must be heard when the bill comes back before the parliament,” Dunne added.
The UKVIA has proposed a number of important amendments to the bill:
The introduction of a vape retail and distributor licensing scheme which would prohibit rogue resellers from trading and provide £50 million funding annually – at no cost to the treasury – to support heightened enforcement by an under-resourced Trading Standards. The scheme will also impose fines of up to £10,000 per instance.
Give the MHRA new powers to outlaw child-friendly imagery and packaging.
Introduce statutory requirement for the Secretary of State to consult with any interested stakeholders prior to introducing any new regulations.
Dunne concluded: “In its haste to rush this legislation through, the previous administration failed to consider any of these sensible and proportionate measures which would help smokers quit, protect young people and give much-needed funds to create a fit-for-purpose regulatory and enforcement framework moving forward.
“The UKVIA sincerely hopes that the new government and Wes Streeting as secretary of state for health and social care and his department takes the time to get this right and does not fall into the trap of rushing it through as the Conservatives attempted to do.”
A covert operation conducted by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) in Wolverhampton has highlighted the prevalence of illicit tobacco and vapes in the area, with 22 stores found to be selling illegal products.
Undercover operatives carried out multiple test purchases across Wolverhampton in October 2024 and found that counterfeit and contraband tobacco products were easily obtained, whilst illegal vapes were also common.
All 22 stores visited had illicit tobacco readily available, including packs of cigarettes, rolling tobacco and illegal vapes, with some vapes boasting puff counts of 15,000. The cheapest pack of ready-made cigarettes (RMC) was bought for just £2.50.
All evidence and information gathered has been made available to Trading Standards in anticipation that it will support their efforts to enforce and prosecute anyone found to be selling illegal products.
“This undercover operation in Wolverhampton provides further evidence of the substantial threat of illicit tobacco across the UK," said Ian Howell, Public Affairs Manager at JTI UK. "Not only does illicit trade diminish the income of legitimate retailers, but it also funds criminal activity in our neighbourhoods.
“We’ve conducted hundreds of test purchases in the past 12 months and unfortunately our findings show that illicit tobacco is prevalent in every large town and city we investigate. Lack of sufficient funding and powers for enforcement agencies, combined with years of escalating tobacco duty has contributed to the rapid growth of this black market.
“We also fear the problem will only get worse if the Government proceeds with the proposed generational smoking ban, taking footfall and profit away from law-abiding stores and giving illegal operators an increased customer base. As we look to the year ahead, stamping out the illicit tobacco market should be the top priority for the Government.”
The operation revealed that the typical price for a 50g pack of counterfeit roll your own tobacco (RYO) was between £4, with the operatives’ most expensive purchase being £5. For comparison, the recommended retail price of JTI’s lowest price 50g RYO product is £31.25*.
If retailers know of a store that is selling illicit tobacco or vapes, they should report them by calling Trading Standards through the Citizen Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or contact HM Revenue & Customs’ Fraud Hotline (0800 788 887), or Crimestoppers (0800 555 111).
Bestway Wholesale is kicking off 2025 with its flagship “Thank You” event where exceptional deals are offered to its retailer customers, taking the lead with BOGOFs, Buy One Get One Free Offers and big savings with 50 per cent+ PORs on leading brands and products.
The “Thank You” promotional campaign has been a tradition for the Bestway business for over 10 years. It rewards customers for their continued loyalty and is high profile across the 60+ depots nationwide, as well as online activation for all retail and catering customers. From 10 January, the campaign is running for a three-week period in order for retailers to benefit from the amazing deals, for longer and has been designed to bring Bestway customers and supplier brands closer than ever before.
2025 is a huge milestone for Bestway as it marks the 50th anniversary of the business, founded by Sir Anwar Pervez, who established his first wholesale depot in 1975.
At the centre of this year's in-depot display is a golden celebratory LED-lit arch crowned with a bold “Thank You” banner. Customers are welcomed through the glittering archway into a captivating and memorable shopping experience starting with phenomenal value on amazing Buy One Get One Free Offers (BOGOF) offers and Buy Two Get One Free offers across many top brands across leading categories and key footfall drivers.
Not only do customers get to enjoy special theatre in-depot, but they also experience further savings and the opportunity to purchase top-selling brands at extraordinary prices
Bestway has also taken this flagship celebration campaign online with a full home-page take-over designed to focus on the key brands featured within the campaign and drive customers to browse and purchase great online deals. The homepage directs customers through to a landing page where all the deals are featured.
Bestway also has a robust and well-rounded communication plan across all of its retailer communication channels to ensure they hear the news about these deals and encourage them to shop online or visit their local depot.
Bestway Wholesale Group Trading Director, Kenton Burchell
“We’re excited to come back with our ‘Thank you’ event where we have the opportunity to bring exceptional deals for our customers,” said Bestway Wholesale Group Trading Director, Kenton Burchell. “We are excited to launch our first major promotional campaign of 2025, which is the first of many celebratory events for our 50th anniversary.
“This campaign is not only a chance to thank all of our customers for their incredible support over the last 50 years but it’s powerful opportunity for us to set the tone for the year ahead.
“We know that retailers have been affected by economic volatility and Bestway is here to support them. Our aim is to provide our retailers outstanding value offers that deliver relevant support to drive the best possible start to 2025, whilst also thanking them for their loyalty during 2024.
“We’re leading the way in offering our customers these remarkable prices in order to help them make better margins and ultimately, enable them to grow their business. Last year’s campaign saw an unprecedented 40% sales uplift which we are hoping to beat this year.”
Officers from Durham Constabulary and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) have teamed up with Durham police and crime commissioner Joy Allen, Trading Standards, Public Health and local councils to tackle illegal vapes and tobacco.
The initiative, known as Operation Nightstar, is a proactive intelligence gathering and evidence led operation targeting shops selling illegal vapes and tobacco.
Part of Operation Nightstar is targeting shops and sellers believed to be involved in the illegal distribution of illegal vapes. A further strand focuses on protecting those at risk of being exploited in the process or as a result of these vapes being sold.
The final strand looks to raise awareness of these illegal vapes and urging the public to report any information or concerns they have.
“As legal vapes become more and more popular officers and partners are seeing a rise in illegal and dangerous knockoffs,” NEROCU Detective Chief Inspector Daryll Tomlinson, said.
“Illegal vapes are untested and unrestricted, they carry incredibly dangerous health risks and there are also concerns illegal vapes are connected to the exploitation of children or other vulnerable persons.
“We know that vapes are more appealing to children and while work such as test purchasing and targeted operations are ongoing to stop the sale of these to those underage, we need to make sure we’re working with the public and partners to stop the sale of illegal vapes altogether.”
Durham police and crime commissioner, Joy Allen, said: "The results of Operation Nightstar are alarming and completely unacceptable. The sale of illegal and non-compliant vapes, particularly to children, is not only a breach of the law but a direct threat to the safety of our communities.
“As police and crime commissioner, I am committed to ensuring that those who exploit vulnerable individuals, especially young people, face the full force of enforcement. Tackling drug-related crime, including the illegal vape trade, is a central pillar of my Police and Crime Plan. In addition to my work nationally where I raise concerns about adulterated vapes, I also play a proactive role locally as chair of the Strategic Drug Partnership, demonstrating my strong commitment to addressing these challenges head-on.
"We will not tolerate this kind of exploitation in County Durham and Darlington. Together with our partners, we will act swiftly and decisively to stamp out this growing threat and safeguard our communities.”
Shaun Trevor, Darlington Borough Council’s trading standards and health manager, said: “The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes is a serious crime which endangers public health and supports organised criminality. Darlington trading standards team is continuing its efforts, alongside Durham Constabulary, to target businesses involved in the selling of illegal tobacco and vapes, and to educate the public about the risks associated with using these them.
“We take all complaints seriously and will investigate and take action, as proceeds from this type of criminality can help fund more serious and violent offences. Any business supplying these products, particularly to underage children, can expect a visit.”
You can report information to your local police force via their website or by contacting the Illegal Tobacco Hotline: 0300 999 0000.
The cost of a bottled liquids is soon set to rise as the government’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging levy comes into force this year. To combat the extra cost, many breweries are considering to switch to cans.
Defra, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is introducing the packaging tax to fund recycling. The EPR shifts the cost of household recycling from councils back onto the companies using the packaging.
Recent figures show that the EPR packaging levy will see an increase on the price of products packaged in glass. The biggest rise will be 12.2p a bottle for spirits.
Figures this week from the environmental solutions company Valpak shows that a huge cost will be faced by the companies with spirits at the top, followed by wine, then water and soft drinks in glass bottles, which will see a 6.6p per unit rise.
Defra’s estimates of the EPR fees for glass have varied widely. Its original summer estimate suggested it could be as much as £330 per tonne, but the September iteration fell to a maximum suggested fee of £115 per tonne and now the latest estimate has shot up again to £240 per tonne.
Defra has said it expects 80 per cent of the costs of EPR to be passed onto the consumer. The first invoices are set to land on the desks of producers and retailers in October.
A leading elderflower cordial and soft drinks maker claims that EPR will cost the company £750,000, wiping up to 80 per cent off its profits, The Times reported.
It is also feared due to additional cost by the EPR scheme, breweries will be forced to switch from glass to cans.
According to British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin, the revised estimates for glass are an extremely "worrying step in the wrong direction".
'Government must be clear-eyed that these proposed higher additional costs on brewers would land an extra £160million, or 5p per glass bottle, on the sector.
"This could force some brewers to leave the glass bottle market.
"Given the incredibly narrow margins UK brewers operate to, as they make an average of 2p per bottle of beer, this means they will be forced to pass on extra painful costs to the consumer if they want to carry on making their product," McClarkin said.
British Glass chief executive Dave Dalton said, "We believe the cost could be even higher once additional supply chain costs and VAT are added."
"The bottom line is that the Government's packaging Extended Producer Responsibility scheme is putting thousands of jobs at risk in a sector that employs 120,000 in its supply chain - potentially shattering the UK glass sector."
Producers of soft drinks in plastic bottles and cans are exempt until 2027 as they have lobbied to be covered by a different deposit scheme.
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Northumberland Trading Standards seize substantial haul of illicit cigarettes and tobacco
A substantial quantity of illicit tobacco and cigarettes have been seized by Northumberland County Council’s Trading Standards officers from a location in southeast Northumberland.
Following intelligence, Trading Standards officers attended a business location where they discovered and seized 8,875 pouches of illicit Turner tobacco along with 76,000 illicit cigarettes with a potential retail value of over £400,000.
A criminal investigation into the suppliers of the tobacco and cigarettes is now underway.
“This illicit tobacco and cigarettes were destined to be sold across Northumberland. A seizure of this size will make a huge impact on the organised crime gangs who were set to profit from it and will significantly disrupt the illicit tobacco supply chain across our region,” Cllr Gordon Stewart, cabinet member with responsibility for Looking after our Communities at the council, said.
“I hope this sends out a strong and clear message, that we will not tolerate this criminal activity and there is no hiding place.”