Reading Borough Council has a “zero tolerance policy” on retailers selling single‑use disposable vapes in the town.
Single‑use vapes were banned across the UK in June last year, making it illegal to sell or supply vapes that aren’t refillable or rechargeable. Enforcement in Reading is handled by the council’s trading standards team.
The council recently ran a consultation on enforcement guidelines. Officers say they will take a zero‑tolerance approach, meaning those found selling the banned products will face prosecution.
As the guidance puts it: “The action we take could be prosecuting the person in magistrates’ court, applying to review a premises licence, issuing a fixed penalty fine of £200 or issuing a compliance notice.”
Enforcement starts with a ‘notice of intent’, which explains the action the council plans to take. A recipient has 28 days to make written objections to consumerprotection@reading.gov.uk. In the case of a fine, liability can be cleared by paying £100 within 28 days of the notice.
The consultation closed this month after just one response on the council’s Go Vocal website, and the enforcement guidance remains unchanged.
For context, single‑use vapes are still legal in countries such as Italy, Greece and Spain.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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