First changes take effect in October
From 29 October 2026, selling any vaping or nicotine product to anyone under 18 becomes an offence. The rule covers physical shops and online platforms alike.
Vending machines that dispense tobacco, herbal smoking items, cigarette papers, or vaping products will also be restricted. Machines for vaping remain permitted only in adult mental-health inpatient settings in England and Wales.
Further restrictions start in 2027
Effective 1 January 2027, it will be illegal to sell tobacco, herbal smoking products, or cigarette papers to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. The legal age of sale will increase by one year each subsequent year.
Adults aged 18 or older who attempt to purchase these items on behalf of a younger person will also face prosecution.
Retailers must display a notice stating: “It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.”
Steps retailers are urged to take now
Businesses should revise age-verification policies to require a date of birth, not just an estimated age. Staff at tills, including seasonal workers, need clear instructions.
Orders for the new age-of-sale notice should be placed promptly, and its placement at the point of sale planned in advance.
Shop owners must audit vending-machine inventories and cancel any promotional discounts that conflict with the upcoming rules. Online sellers should align delivery checks with the same birth-date verification.
Early compliance may reduce the risk of fines and protect customer trust, especially for small independent stores that lack large legal teams. Adjusting processes now gives staff time to practice the new verification routine before peak holiday periods.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said most retailers want to get this right and are already asking sensible questions. “Our message is a simple one: do not leave it until Christmas week,” she warned.
She added that the October change is often overlooked, noting that nicotine pouches and zero-nicotine vapes will fall under the 18-year age limit for the first time, and many shops still sell them without ID checks.
