Scots shopkeepers seek to stamp out illegal vape products
SCOTTISH shopkeepers have demanded tougher action to tackle the worsening black market sales on illegal vapes.
Following on from the introduction of the disposable vapes ban in June 2025, store owners across the country have claimed that the illegal trade has only risen off the back of this new legislation.
Guna Sud, retail manager at Premier RaceTrack Pitstop – and winner of the Smokeless Alternatives Retailer of the Year award at the Scottish Grocer Awards 2025 for the Wishaw store – said: “Regulation and illicit trade are almost going hand-in-hand. Unless more is done about that, it’s just going to keep growing.
“Illicit trade was there before the ban and – from what we can see – it’s ten-times stronger after it.”
Similarly, Mohammed Rajak, who has run a Day-Today store in the east end of Glasgow for more than 30 years, has echoed this message and said that the illegal trade has impacted his business “vastly”.
He said: “Illicit trade is getting more and more of a headache for retailers like me who comply with the regulations. Unfortunately, not enough rogue traders are being caught by trading standards. That’s because these teams are overwhelmed and under-resourced.
“Unregulated rogue traders are selling to people who are underage – and the point of the ban was to take away single-use vapes and make them inaccessible to the age group it was not intended for.”
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has stated that it fears the problems will only worsen moving forward now as well, resulting in a negative impact not only on their members’ stores, but for the health of the general public.
The convenience store trade body, which represents thousands of shops across Scotland, wants more investment from the government to tackle these illegal sales, including those made to children and underage consumers, and to ensure the voice of these shopkeepers are heard as new rules continue to be drafted by the UK Government.
The SGF has also questioned its members in the impact that the disposable vapes ban has had on them and the industry body reported that three-quarters of respondents all agreed that it has encouraged the sale and purchase of illicit products.
Store owners have all told the SGF that a cost increase and restrictions around flavours will also only further encourage the illicit trade, matters which the UK Government is considering implementing as part of its Tobacco and Vapes Bill which is currently passing through parliament.
Luke McGarty, head of policy and public affairs at the SGF, said: “There’s a growing issue of criminal gangs getting involved in black market activity, profiteering from illicit vaping products.
“We need to ensure that future restrictions – particularly those around vape flavours and store placement – do not make the situation worse. Vaping should be for adults who wish to quit smoking, and it is right that the government take strong action to stop non-smokers – particularly children – from accessing vapes.
“But we need to strike a balance that achieves both those aims.”
