Vaping kids and young people are of concern across the country and while the situation is not worse or better in Sheffield, a proposed government ban could backfire in the long run, the city’s health boss claimed.
The government’s plan to create a “smokefree generation” and potentially ban disposable vapes in the UK was welcomed by many, including campaigners, doctors and parents across the country.
Greg Fell, the director of public health in Sheffield, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that smoking was still the thing that causes the real harm to health.
He said Sheffield was “doing pretty well” on smoking compared with other larger cities but the problems are the same.
He said: “The issue on disposables is that it’s pretty obvious that they are not sustainable. I heard they were an ‘environmental disaster’ – the clue is in the title, they are (disposable vapes) not designed to be recycled.”
Mr Fell added that other forms of vapes (the non-disposable vapes) are not “terribly cool and sexy” for kids and it’s clear that tobacco companies are marketing vapes to kids “really aggressively”.
He said: “Who needs bubblegum flavour vape? There is something in the flavours and the descriptions designed to appeal to children and young people.”
Mr Fell said a government ban on disposable vapes may “not make it go away” and create an illegal and illicit market instead.
He said: “If the government chose to go down the ban route, I don’t know whether they will or not, it may not solve the problem. It may turn it to be an illegal problem.
“It may not. I don’t know that. I genuinely don’t know.”
He added a possible solution may be to restrict flavours and descriptions – like what they did to tobacco when introduced plain packs and put it behind the counter.
He said pricing was also problematic as disposable vapes were “pretty cheap”, hence people buy them. A duty on disposable vapes may be one solution as children were “more price sensitive”.
He urged non-smokers not to start vaping and added “we’ve kind of held that off” as they hadn’t seen the big uptake in children and young people vaping in this country “until very recently”.
He said: “We are now starting to lose that battle, which is of great regret.”
One possible reason for that could be the tobacco industry’s aggressive campaign as they see a big opportunity in marketing vapes to kids.
Mr Fell said Sheffield was doing “pretty well” on smoking – compared with comparator cities.
However, Sheffield has also seen a large number of children and young people starting to vape over the last couple of years.
“There’s a tripling of children and young people vaping (across the country) in recent years”, he said.
Mr Fell gave credit to the government when said there was an additional resource to local authorities and Sheffield was investing a good chunk of that into stop smoking services.
Christmas can be a stressful time for many and, as a result, people can keep turn to smoking to calm their nerves. Despite this, numerous people see Christmas as their last blowout before a new year’s resolution of finally breaking the habit and giving up. With this in mind new research has revealed the areas in England where smokers are quitting the most, with Slough coming out on top.
The study by online vape retailer Vapekit analysed the latest data available from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities to see which areas had the most significant change in smoking prevalence in the last five years, between 2018 and 2023.8.18 per cent -52.24 per cent5 Sutton 14.06 per cent 6.85 per cent -51.26 per cent6 Gateshead 17.80 per cent 9.13 per cent -48.69 per cent7 Redbridge 13.20 per cent 6.83 per cent -48.26 per cent8 Greenwich 18.13 per cent 9.74 per cent -46.27 per cent9 Hackney 14.76 per cent 8.00 per cent -45.84 per cent10 Knowsley 18.06 per cent 9.82 per cent -45.59 per cent
It found that the Berkshire area of Slough is where people are quitting smoking the most. In 2018, it had a smoking prevalence of 21.26 per cent, and this has dropped to 8.3 per cent in 2023, which is a drop of 60.95 per cent.
The County Durham area of Stockton-On-Tees takes second place on the list. In 2018, smoking prevalence for adults was 16.44 per cent, and in 2023, it decreased to 6.97 per cent, a drop of 57.59 per cent.
Rutland comes in third place. It had a smoking prevalence of 10.76 per cent in 2018, and this has dropped by 57.49 per cent, now sitting at 4.57 per cent in 2023.
The areas in England most quickly quitting smoking
Rank
Area Name
Smoking prevalence 18+ 2018
Smoking prevalence 18+ 2023
Smoking prevalence percentage change 2018 to 2023
1
Slough
21.26%
8.30%
-60.95%
2
Stockton-on-Tees
16.44%
6.97%
-57.59%
3
Rutland
10.76%
4.57%
-57.49%
4
Brent
17.13%
8.18%
-52.24%
5
Sutton
14.06%
6.85%
-51.26%
6
Gateshead
17.80%
9.13%
-48.69%
7
Redbridge
13.20%
6.83%
-48.26%
8
Greenwich
18.13%
9.74%
-46.27%
9
Hackney
14.76%
8.00%
-45.84%
10
Knowsley
18.06%
9.82%
-45.59%
The London area of Brent takes fourth place on the list. In 2018, smoking prevalence was 17.13 per cent for adults over 18, the highest it had been in the years studied. In 2023, this decreased to only 8.18 per cent, a drop of 52.24 per cent.
Another London area, Sutton, comes in fifth. In 2018, the smoking prevalence was 14.06 per cent, but this decreased to just 6.85 per cent in 2023, a drop of 51.26 per cent.
In contrast, Ealing, located in Greater London, comes out as the area with the most significant increase in smoking. 2018’s smoking prevalence was 9.17 per cent, which has increased to 22.31 per cent in 2023, and this is a whopping 143.44 per cent increase.
The areas in England where smoking has increased the most
Rank
Area Name
Smoking prevalence 18+ 2018
Smoking prevalence 18+ 2023
Smoking prevalence percentage change 2018 to 2023
1
Ealing
9.17%
22.31%
143.44%
2
Croydon
11.37%
17.10%
50.44%
3
Harrow
10.83%
16.06%
48.29%
4
Camden
10.95%
15.40%
40.69%
5
Merton
10.87%
14.72%
35.39%
6
Bracknell Forest
10.94%
13.89%
27.00%
7
Westminster
11.52%
13.69%
18.88%
8
Windsor and Maidenhead
8.41%
9.14%
8.63%
9
Buckinghamshire UA
10.32%
11.19%
8.39%
10
Middlesbrough
17.44%
18.58%
6.54%
Commenting on the findings, Guy Lawler, Managing Director of Vapekit, said, “While quitting smoking can be extremely difficult, especially for long-term smokers, it’s clear from this data that in a range of areas there are many attempting to quit and many also succeeding. It will be interesting to note how this relates to vaping prevalence in these areas as an alternative to smoking, especially with the government’s recent intentions to raise the minimum age to purchase cigarettes each year.”
Coffee drinkers may soon see their morning treat get more expensive, as the price of coffee on international commodity markets hit its highest level on record today (10).
The price for Arabica beans, which account for most global production, topped £2.70 a pound (0.45kg), having jumped more than 80 per cent this year. The cost of Robusta beans, meanwhile, hit a fresh high in September.
It comes as coffee traders expect crops to shrink after the world's two largest producers, Brazil and Vietnam, were hit by bad weather and the drink's popularity continues to grow.
One expert told the BBC coffee brands were considering putting prices up in the new year.
While in recent years major coffee roasters have been able to absorb price hikes to keep customers happy and maintain market share, it looks like that's about to change, according to Vinh Nguyen, the chief executive of Tuan Loc Commodities.
"Brands like JDE Peet (the owner of the Douwe Egberts brand), Nestlé and all that, have [previously] taken the hit from higher raw material prices to themselves," Nguyen told BBC.
"But right now they are almost at a tipping point. A lot of them are mulling a price increase in supermarkets in [the first quarter] of 2025."
Late last month, Nestle confirmed it would continue raising prices and making packs smaller to offset the impact of higher bean prices. At an event for investors in November, a top Nestlé executive said the coffee industry was facing "tough times", admitting his company would have to adjust its prices and pack sizes.
"We are not immune to the price of coffee, far from it," said David Rennie, Nestlé's head of coffee brands.
Coffee is one of the most traded commodities in the world, and demand has been on the rise, boosted by growing consumption in China. However, there is only a handful of producer countries to meet this demand. The key producers include Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia, all tropical countries that are very much impacted by climate change.
Brazil experienced its worst drought in 70 years during August and September, followed by heavy rains in October, raising fears that the flowering crop could fail. The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have also contributed to the uncertainty and fuelled price hikes as they affect shipments.
Convenience retailers could soon benefit from government-backed digital IDs, that will enable customers to prove their age using smartphones when purchasing alcohol.
According to reports, ministers are preparing to change the law for customers buying alcohol in shops and bars as part of the initiative to move more state functions online.
The change, expected to take effect next year, aims to streamline age verification processes, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance data privacy for both customers and retailers. It will give landlords and retailers the ability to scan digital identities to verify a customer’s age without unnecessarily disclosing personal information.
The move follows a recent consultation that revealed support for updating the Licensing Act 2003 to allow digital identities to be used for alcohol sales. Respondents also endorsed the idea that providers of digital identity services should meet stringent government-approved standards under the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework.
Reports said providers of the ID service will have to be verified by the government under the Data (Use and Access) Bill which is going through parliament. This will allow certified digital identities to join passports and driving licenses as accepted age verification methods.
While digital IDs will remain optional, their adoption is expected to modernise retail operations and enhance customer experiences.
“As the Covid passports showed during the pandemic, people are more willing to share their data if there is a demonstrable benefit to doing so. I think things have moved on from (Tony) Blair’s failed ID cards project because people now share more data than ever before as a result of the explosion in social media and the use of smartphones,” the Sunday Times quoted a senior government source as saying.
Former prime minister Tony Blair, whose government passed the Identity Cards Act 2006 creating a national identity card system, has earlier this year called for the introduction of digital ID cards, saying they could help control immigration.
But the Labour government has ruled out ID cards, with home secretary Yvette Cooper saying: “That’s not our approach.” Reports said the new digital IDs will not be mandatory.
Blair’s scheme, which faced significant criticism over privacy concerns, civil liberties, and the high cost of implementation, was later scrapped by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government.
The much-hyped Quality Street Collisions sharing bar, which brought together the beloved flavours of The Purple One and the Green Triangle, has been officially discontinued.
The decision came to light after a disappointed shopper queried its absence on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Has the Collisions bar been discontinued? I can’t find it anymore; it was my favourite chocolate bar of all time.”
Quality Street responded with confirmation, stating, “Unfortunately, it wasn’t as popular as others in the range, so it has been discontinued.”
Launched with significant fanfare last year, the Collisions bar was aimed at capitalising on the brand’s iconic flavours in a new format. However, despite initial excitement, it appears the product failed to resonate enough with consumers to secure its place on shelves.
Quality Street Collisions sharing bar, which was first introduced in August 2023, combined gooey caramel, creamy hazelnut and crunchy hazelnut pieces in three delicious layers.
“We’re sure that Quality Street fans will love the fact that two favourites have been brought together to make a triple-layered treat that’s perfect for gifting or sharing with family and friends,” Samantha Hirst, brand manager for Quality Street at Nestlé UK and Ireland, said at the time of the launch.
Meanwhile, supermarket Asda has slashed the price of Quality Street in its UK stores, just in time for the festive season. The supermarket is offering two 600g tubs of the popular chocolates for £9, which works out at £4.50 each.
A tub of Quality Street usually costs £6, giving shoppers a saving of £1.50. Asda has extended the offer to also include Cadbury Roses, Cadbury Heroes, Celebrations and Swizzels so customers can mix and match.
Asda has announced a new trial of electronic shelf edge labels (eSELs) at an Asda Express convenience store in Manchester city centre.
Working with Vusion Group to install 3000 electronic shelf edge labels, pricing updates at the Oxford Road store can be done in as little as 15 seconds – allowing colleagues to make changes at the click of a button.
Running for 12 weeks, the trial aims to simplify operations for colleagues and ensure more of their time can be spent meeting the needs of customers.
The Manchester Oxford Road store is a high footfall store, which will help to stress test the technology and provide even more learnings. The trial will be run across a wide array of product categories, including frozen, fresh, instore bakery, toiletries as well as beers, wines and spirits.
Chris Walker, Managing Director of Asda Express, said: “We’re delighted to launch a new trial of electronic shelf edge labels, as we continue to invest in enhancing our instore processes.
“This ‘test and learn’ trial will not only help to simplify operations for colleagues in the store, but it will also provide us with valuable learnings that will shape future technology rollouts into stores. We look forward to hearing feedback from customers and colleagues on the trial.”
Asda has previously tested similar technology at its Stevenage superstore, concluding the trial in 2023. Asda hopes to continue investing in future technology trials within its Express estate, as it sets out to provide an enhanced instore customer experience.