Underage consumers are “easily” accessing age-restricted products and services on the high street including nicotine vapes and even cosmetic surgery, an investigation has revealed.
Teenagers are routinely able to purchase these goods without being asked to show ID, the undercover research by Which? found.
Underage shoppers aged 14 to 17 were sent into high street stores with hidden cameras to draw the findings.
The minors visited eight shops selling vapes on a busy London high street, with five of them selling nicotine vapes to them. Some didn’t ask for ID, while others asked but still sold the product when told by the shoppers they hadn’t got it with them.
Under current laws, it is illegal to sell a nicotine vape to children, and doing so carries a fine of £2,500.
In one case, a 17-year-old girl was able to book in for a lip filler appointment without being asked to provide ID. The secret shopper was even then given a consultation for the procedure during which she did not need to prove her age once.
It is illegal to administer botox or lip filler to a person aged under 18 in England, even if they have permission from a parent or guardian. It is also an offence to make arrangements or book an appointment to provide these treatments to someone under 18.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: “It shouldn't be this easy for a 14-year-old to walk into a shop and buy a vape, or for a 17-year-old to book a lip filler appointment. Unfortunately rogue businesses up and down the country increasingly feel they can break the law because they are unlikely to be caught or face serious consequences.
“The need for effective consumer protection is greater than ever. With Trading Standards under severe strain, gaps in enforcement are leaving consumers - including underage shoppers - more exposed to harm.
“Which? is calling for the government to restructure the consumer enforcement system to ensure that it can deal effectively with national as well as local risks, with better intelligence sharing, stronger oversight and clearer accountability.”
Many local Trading Standards offices are facing issues with recruitment, with underfunding and stalling staff turnover making enforcement of consumer protection more challenging.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) – a membership organisation for trading standards professionals – says that spending on trading standards services has been cut by more than 50 percent over the past decade, and staffing levels have fallen by 30 percent over the same period.
One fifth (36 out of 187) of Trading Standards teams reported no criminal prosecutions in the 2023-24 financial year. A further 25 reported only one criminal prosecution.
CTSI Chief Executive, John Herriman, said: “With Local Government reorganisation and devolution underway across England, it is the time to act to promote, protect and invest in what matters: a local service that delivers for the consumer, the honest business, the economy and public health across the UK.
“Without adequate investment in Trading Standards, we will continue to see unsafe, dangerous goods flooding the market, short measures of goods, unsafe food, disease outbreaks affecting both livestock and pets, a rise in doorstep crime, scams and fraud and many more.”
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