Tackling underage tobacco and nicotine sales in East Renfrewshire
We're cracking down on underage tobacco and nicotine vapour product sales with 100% of retailers in East Renfrewshire tested in financial year 2024/25.
Published: 18 September 2025
After retailers received initial business advice from Trading Standards Officers, test purchasers carried out 79 visits to retailers across the local authority. 15% of these retailers failed to effectively use the Challenge 25 policy and did not request to see a proof of age when visited by an 18-year-old test purchaser.
After being issued warnings by our Trading Standards team, retailers were given further advice and submitted for formal test purchasing by an under 18-year-old test purchaser.
The business advice delivered to local retailers has had a positive impact with all retailers then refusing under 18-year-old test purchasers the sale of tobacco and vapes. Additional test purchases are scheduled to be conducted later this year.
Our underage sale prevention strategy is built around concise business advice, coupled with a robust age verification and formal test purchasing programme. All retailers within the East Renfrewshire area who sell tobacco and nicotine vapour products are subject to an age verification test purchase exercise to ensure they have an adequate age verification process in place.
An age verification test purchase uses a volunteer under the age of 21 to test a retailers Challenge 25 policy, with a formal test purchase using a volunteer under the age of 18. Any sales may lead to the issue of a fixed penalty notice or the submission of a prosecution report to the Procurator Fiscal.
Councillor Danny Devlin, Convener for Environment and Housing said: 'It's pleasing to hear the Council's approach of working with retailers to improve age verification procedures is having a positive effect in reducing the sale of tobacco and nicotine vapour products to children and young people in East Renfrewshire.
'Prevention and enforcement are key priorities for the Council's Trading Standards team as they strive to protect children and young people from the dangers of purchasing these products underage - which could ultimately lead to addiction and serious long-term health risks.
'This policy is also designed to support the retailers, who should fully embrace Challenge 25 policy or risk being issued with a fixed penalty notice. By asking for appropriate ID and not judging for themselves if a young person is over 18, think 25 and protect your business.'
