Salisbury market trader fined for selling e-cigarette to a child
Anthony Rose was told of a test purchase by Trading Standards Officers following a prior complaint
A market trader in Salisbury has been fined more than £700 after pleading guilty to selling an age restricted product to a 16-year-old Trading Standards volunteer.
Anthony Rose, of Salisbury, failed to ask for appropriate ID or proof of age during a test purchase at his stall last August when selling an e-cigarette to the volunteer.
In February last year, Mr Rose had been visited by trading standards officers after a complaint had been made that he was selling age restricted products to children.
Mr Rose was given advice on preventing such sales and told he’d subjected to a test purchase.
During the test purchase, the volunteer was able to purchase a watermelon flavoured Elf bar, which is a disposable e-cigarette, for £6.
Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Public Protection at Wiltshire Council, said:
“As per our Business Plan, we want to promote our safe, compliant and successful traders as examples to others.
“It is illegal to sell vaping products to anyone under the age of 18. We have seen a large increase in vaping products being sold to children, with the products available at pocket money prices and regularly featured on social media channels.
“Trading standards officers work to enforce legislation which prohibits the sale of all age-restricted goods, such as tobacco, alcohol and e-cigarettes, and as this case shows, anyone found doing could be prosecuted. Penalties can include a fine or even imprisonment.
“Businesses have a responsibility to ensure that staff do not sell age-restricted products to people under the legal minimum age. Effective systems that can be used include, age verification checks with ID cards, Challenge 21 or Challenge 25, staff training and using till prompts.
“If you suspect a business is selling age-restricted products to children you can report it by email to tradingstandards@wiltshire.gov.uk or by phone at 0808 223 1133.”