Inspection and test purchasing for vape products
Case reference FOI2026/02425
Received 8 October 2026
Published 16 October 2026
Request
Please provide the following information for each year since 2020, in a spreadsheet format where possible:
Inspection coverage and test purchasing The number of premises in your area identified as selling vaping products, as at 31 March each year.
The separate premises at which you carried out a test purchase of vaping products, and of those, how many sold to the underage volunteer.
What number of advice, compliance or inspection visits to premises selling vaping products, excluding test purchases.
The number of premises identified as selling vaping products that received no visit of any kind and no test purchase during the year.
Premises trading while not on the Register
The number of premises identified as carrying on a tobacco or nicotine vapor product business in breach of legislation governing the sale of those products, i.e. premises selling to people under the legal age.
How those premises came to your attention - proactive checking, third-party complaint, or another route.
What action was taken against the premises at question
5. Enforcement action
The number of fixed penalty notices issued in connection with vaping products.
The number of written warnings issued.
The number of cases reported for prosecution.
The number of applications for a restricted premises order under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, or any equivalent order under previous legislation, and how many were granted.
The number of convictions you are aware of arising from those reports.
Reports from the public, resourcing and policy
The number of complaints or reports from the public alleging sale of vaping products to an under-18.
Of those, how many led to a visit or test purchase within 12 weeks.
The number of full-time equivalent trading standards officers at 31 March each year, and how many had tobacco and vaping duties.
Whether there is a written policy, target or minimum inspection frequency, and a copy if so.
The value of government grant funding for tobacco and nicotine vapour product enforcement each year.
Response
Please provide the following information for each year since 2020, in a spreadsheet format where possible:
Inspection coverage and test purchasing
The number of premises in your area identified as selling vaping products, as at 31 March each year.
Answer: The service area has advised that this is historical data and is therefore not recorded. The current figure is 150 premises as at 13/10/2026.
The separate premises at which you carried out a test purchase of vaping products, and of those, how many sold to the underage volunteer.
Answer: Please see below.
What number of advice, compliance or inspection visits to premises selling vaping products, excluding test purchases.
Answer: Please see below.
The number of premises identified as selling vaping products that received no visit of any kind and no test purchase during the year.
Answer: 0.
Premises trading while not on the Register
Answer: The service area has advised that this information is not recorded, there is no legal requirement for premises to register with a local authority.
The number of premises identified as carrying on a tobacco or nicotine vapor product business in breach of legislation governing the sale of those products, i.e. premises selling to people under the legal age.
Answer: Please see below.
How those premises came to your attention - proactive checking, third-party complaint, or another route.
Answer: The service area has advised that this information is not recorded. The majority come to their attention when business register as a food business or apply for a premises licence, third party complaint or following inspection by other council officer.
What action was taken against the premises at question 5.
Answer: Please see below.
Enforcement action
Answer: Please see below.
The number of fixed penalty notices issued in connection with vaping products.
Answer: Please see below.
The number of written warnings issued.
Answer: Please see below.
The number of cases reported for prosecution.
Answer: Please see below.
The number of applications for a restricted premises order under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, or any equivalent order under previous legislation, and how many were granted.
Answer: The service area has advised that - Prior to 2024 / 2025 Police conducted the Closure Orders. Please also see the disclosure log.
The number of convictions you are aware of arising from those reports.
Answer: Please see below.
Reports from the public, resourcing and policy
The number of complaints or reports from the public alleging sale of vaping products to an under-18.
Answer: Please see below.
Of those, how many led to a visit or test purchase within 12 weeks.
Answer: This information is not recorded.
The number of full-time equivalent trading standards officers at 31 March each year, and how many had tobacco and vaping duties.
Answer: Please see below.
Whether there is a written policy, target or minimum inspection frequency, and a copy if so.
Answer: Please see below.
The value of government grant funding for tobacco and nicotine vapour product enforcement each year.
Answer: Please see below.
This information is publically available the Herefordshire Council Website and can be viewed via the following link:
Freedom of information (FOI) releases from Herefordshire Council - Disclosure log
Please see the following disclosures
FOI2026/01298,
FOI2026/01225,
FOI2026/02171,
FOI2025/02152,
FOI2025/01222,
FOI2025/01042 and FOI2026/01867,
FOI2026/00089,
FOI2024/02072,
FOI2024/01687,
FOI2024/01223,
FOI2024/00372,
FOI2024/00056
As such we consider this information to be exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because it is reasonably accessible to you via other means. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.
Documents
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