North Lincolnshire Trading Standards has identified 38 'convenience stores of concern' over the suspected sale of illegal tobacco and illicit vapes, with the vast majority located in Scunthorpe town centre.
According to a report presented to North Lincolnshire Council's cabinet, 34 of the 38 premises are in Scunthorpe, with stores concentrated on Doncaster Road, Frodingham Road, High Street and Oswald Road. Frodingham Road alone accounts for 15 of the businesses identified.
The figures were included in a report outlining the implications of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 and the challenges facing enforcement teams. The report also notes that evidence from enforcement operations across the UK has linked illicit vape supply chains to serious and organised crime, including money laundering.
The Tobacco and Vapes Act introduces a series of measures aimed at reducing smoking and youth vaping. It prohibits the sale of nicotine-free vaping products to under-18s, bans vape advertising and sponsorship, and from 1 January 2027 will make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. Further measures, including licensing for tobacco and vape retailers and the expansion of vape-free public spaces, are also expected.
According to the report, during 2025/26, North Lincolnshire Trading Standards carried out 15 inspections of retail premises. Initial visits resulted in 10 seizures, with a further two seizures made during follow-up inspections. Officers confiscated a total of 3,746 illicit vapes, while one prosecution is currently pending.
Additional government funding has been allocated to support enforcement, enabling the council to recruit an Apprentice Trading Standards Practitioner for three years, with a focus on tobacco and vape enforcement.
Councillor Neil Poole, cabinet member for operations and flooding, praised the Trading Standards team for its work.
“It's good to see our Trading Standards team are on top of what is a very difficult situation for enforcement,” he said.
Poole also highlighted the environmental benefits of last year's ban on disposable vapes, noting that lithium batteries had created disposal challenges for the council's waste teams.
Labour councillor Naseer Ahmed said the concentration of stores on Frodingham Road was particularly concerning, with part of the road located in the ward he represents.
“Residents regularly raise concerns about the sale of illegal vapes and illicit tobacco, so these figures are deeply concerning,” he said, while questioning whether sufficient resources were available given the size of the Trading Standards team.
Responding, Poole said identifying the businesses enabled officers to focus enforcement activity where it was most needed.
Council leader Rob Waltham added that prosecutions involved a wider team, including legal services, and pointed to the use of specialist tobacco detection dogs during enforcement operations.
He said he had recently visited Trading Standards officers and seen a haul of counterfeit vapes and illegal cigarettes.
“Given the stash that I saw when I went to meet Trading Standards officers, they're pretty effective at what they're doing,” Waltham said.
The report comes as councils across the region step up efforts to tackle the illicit tobacco and vape trade. Earlier this month, North East Lincolnshire Council held an emergency summit bringing together council departments and partner agencies, including Humberside Police, to coordinate action against illegal sales.
(Reporting by Ivan Morris Poxton of Local Democracy Reporting Service)