Underage Nicotine Sales: More Than 13,000 Complaints Made to Councils
By: David PhillipsAn estimated one million (19%) of 11–17-year-olds in Great Britain have tried vaping, highlighting ongoing concerns about young people’s access to nicotine products.¹
From our previous research, we found that in 2024/25, six councils reported that 100% of their underage test purchase operations resulted in failures, including Bolton, East Sussex, Herefordshire, Milton Keynes, North Northamptonshire and Torfaen2.
We submitted Freedom of Information requests to councils across the UK to investigate complaints relating to the suspected sale of vaping and other nicotine products to under-18s in the last three financial years. Overall, complaints have decreased by 14% over the last two years, but regionally, there’s still work to be done.
Lancashire County Council had the most combined complaints about underage nicotine sales since 2023/24
| Rank | Council | Combined number of complaints since 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lancashire County Council | 696 |
| 2 | Birmingham City Council | 607 |
| =3 | Buckinghamshire Council | 467 |
| =3 | Surrey County Council | 467 |
| 5 | Kent County Council | 427 |
| 6 | Devon County Council | 361 |
| 7 | Highland Council | 334 |
| 8 | Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council | 323 |
| 9 | City of Edinburgh Council | 311 |
| 10 | Suffolk County Council | 307 |
1. Lancashire County Council - 696 combined complaints
Lancashire County Council had the UK’s highest number of combined complaints about underage nicotine product sales since 2023/24. It received 293 complaints in 2023/24, the highest annual figure among the councils analysed. Despite receiving the highest number of complaints, the council saw a significant decrease of 36%.
2. Birmingham City Council - 607 combined complaints
Birmingham City Council received the second-highest number of combined complaints from 2023/24 to 2025/26. It received 231 complaints in 2025/26, the highest annual figure recorded by any council that year. Overall, complaints increased by 28% compared with 2023/24.
3. Buckinghamshire Council & Surrey County Council - 467 combined complaints
Both Buckinghamshire Council and Surrey County Council received 467 combined complaints, the third-highest in the UK. Each received 218 complaints in 2023/24, falling to 115 in 2025/26 – a 47% decrease.
Three councils reduced their complaints by 100% in three years
| Rank | Council | Percentage decrease in complaints received from 2023/24 to 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|
| 1= | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea | -100% |
| 1= | Shetland Islands Council | -100% |
| 1= | East Dunbartonshire Council | -100% |
| 2= | Herefordshire Council | -83% |
| 2= | Sefton Borough Council | -83% |
| 3 | Wrexham County Borough Council | -80% |
| 4= | Barnet Borough Council | -76% |
| 4= | South Ayrshire Council | -76% |
| 5= | Waltham Forest Borough Council | -75% |
| 5= | South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council | -75% |
| 5= | Isle of Wight Council | -75% |
| 6= | Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council | -72% |
| 6= | Hampshire County Council | -72% |
| 7 | West Northamptonshire Council | -70% |
| 8 | Bath and North East Somerset Council | -69% |
| 9 | North Lanarkshire Council | -66% |
| 10 | South Lanarkshire Council | -65% |
1. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Shetland Islands Council and East Dunbartonshire - 100% decrease in underage sales complaints
Three councils reduced their underage sales complaints by 100% in three years, the highest decrease in the UK. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Shetland Islands Council each received three complaints in 2023/24 and did not receive any complaints in 2025/26. East Dunbartonshire recorded one complaint in 2023/24 and did not receive any complaints in 2025/26.
2. Herefordshire Council and Sefton Borough Council - 83% decrease in underage sales complaints
Both Herefordshire Council and Sefton Borough Council each reduced their underage sales complaints by 83% in three years, the second-highest decrease in the UK. Herefordshire Council received 36 complaints in 2023/24, which reduced to six complaints in 2025/26. Sefton Borough Council received 40 underage sales complaints in 2023/24, and recorded seven in 2025/26.
3. Wrexham County Borough Council - 80% decrease in underage sales complaints
Wrexham County Borough Council reduced their underage sales complaints regarding nicotine products by 80% in three years, the third-highest decrease in the UK. The council recorded 10 complaints in 2023/24, compared to two in 2025/26.
Vapes were the most complained-about product type
| Rank | Product type | Number of complaints about underage sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vapes | 10,818 |
| 2 | Cigarettes | 704 |
| 3 | E-liquids | 349 |
| 4 | Other* | 106 |
*Other includes nicotine pouches, shisha and loose tobacco.
1. Vapes - 10,818 complaints
Vapes were by far the most common product type involved in underage nicotine product complaints, included in 10,818 complaints over three years. This accounts for 90% of the total complaints made to councils since 2023/24.
2. Cigarettes - 704 complaints
Cigarettes were the second-highest complained-about nicotine product to councils since 2023/24. There were 704 complaints to councils discussing underage cigarette sales.
3. E-liquids - 349 complaints
The underage selling of e-liquid to anyone under the age of 18 was flagged in 349 complaints to councils in the three years following 2023/24. This makes e-liquid the third-most common nicotine product to be complained about to councils.
Sources
(1) https://ash.org.uk/resources/view/use-of-e-cigarettes-among-young-people-in-great-britain- ash.org.uk
Methodology
In September 2026, Vape Superstore sent a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all metropolitan district, unitary authority, county and London borough councils in the UK about the number of attempted or successful underage nicotine sales. The request asked for the total number of complaints, reports, referrals or other recorded instances of concern received relating to vaping or nicotine products. The data was requested for the latest three completed
