Tooting business caught for a second time breaking law on underage sales

World Super Store Limited, of 85 Mitcham Road lost its license to sell alcohol in February 2023 after being caught selling alcohol and vapes to children who were wearing school uniform.
 
But just weeks later in June of that year, it was again caught selling vapes to children as part of a trading standards undercover operation. On this occasion the vapes were sold to a 15-year-old.
 

It’s illegal to sell vapes or alcohol to anyone under 18.
 
Trading standards officers also found numerous illegal single use vapes on sale at the shop.
 
They discovered 181 oversized vapes which contained nicotine in amounts far beyond the legal limit of 2ml, which equates to about 600 “drags” or “puffs”. 
 
The vapes’ packaging stated amounts including 10ml and 14ml offering around 3,500 puffs – equating to seven times the legal limit. 
 
On 26 March at Lavender Hill Magistrates Court the business pleaded guilty to four offences covering the underage sale and oversized vapes. 
 
The company claimed it was doing all it could to prevent underage sales but could not provide any evidence of written training records. It also stated it had no idea of the rules governing vapes, despite the relevant law being introduced in 2016.  
 
World Superstore Ltd was ordered to pay £3,500 in fines and £3,377 in prosecution costs, including the cost to dispose of the harmful vapes.
 
James Armitage Head of the Regulatory Services Partnership which includes trading standards said: “The owners of this business had not learned the lesson of their previous brush with the law on underage sales which cost them their drinks licence.
 
“The law is very clear regarding the ban on selling vapes to young people under 18. We are pleased that the court recognised the seriousness of this case and imposed a hefty financial penalty.
 
“We hope this serves as a warning to other shops and businesses of the need to pay proper attention to the law and avoid selling very harmful products to children.”
 
People concerned about the sale of age restricted products such as nicotine vapes, alcohol, tobacco or knives, or about illegal oversized vapes, can email the borough’s trading standards team, which is based at Merton town hall, via trading.standards@merton.gov.uk or report online at https://www.londontradingstandards.org.uk/report-consumer-crime/.
 
Residents can also report their concerns through Citizens’ Advice by calling 0808 223 1133.