Latest news with #DanMarchant
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Huge change to vapes in DAYS – everything you need to know from £200 fines to some BANNED
SHOP workers have been given a seven-day warning they face jail for selling disposable vapes. A ban on single-use e-cigs kicks in from June 1 under a government crackdown to stop kids getting hooked. Advertisement 2 Retailers caught selling disposable vapes will be given a £200 fine as a first punishment Credit: AFP 2 A disposable vape sells for £3-£10 depending on the brand Credit: Getty Retailers caught pushing the throwaway puffers will be given a £200 fine as a first punishment. Serial offenders risk criminal charges of an unlimited fine or prison sentence of up to two years. Ahead of the ban, Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: 'Single-use vapes get kids hooked on nicotine and blight our high streets, and we won't stand for this any longer. 'Shopkeepers have just one week until our ban comes in so must act now. Advertisement 'Rogue traders will face action, and under our Plan for Change, these crooks will face serious penalties.' The Sun first revealed Labour's plans to outlaw the sale of disposable vapes next month to both stop children buying them and to reduce litter. While chargeable e-cigs will still be allowed, retailers have reported users stockpiling disposable ones ahead of the ban. Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club, said: 'We have seen a significant uplift in disposable sales over the last three to four weeks, with sales increasing by 50-100 per cent, in many cases. Advertisement "The most popular flavours have more than doubled.'
The Irish Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Huge change to vapes in DAYS – everything you need to know from £200 fines to some BANNED
SHOP workers have been given a seven-day warning they face jail for selling disposable vapes. A ban on single-use e-cigs kicks in from June 1 under a government crackdown to stop kids getting hooked. 2 Retailers caught selling disposable vapes will be given a £200 fine as a first punishment Credit: AFP 2 A disposable vape sells for £3-£10 depending on the brand Credit: Getty Retailers caught pushing the throwaway puffers will be given a £200 fine as a first punishment. Serial offenders risk criminal charges of an unlimited fine or prison sentence of up to two years. Ahead of the ban, Environment Secretary 'Shopkeepers have just one week until our ban comes in so must act now. READ MORE ON POLITICS 'Rogue traders will face action, and under our Plan for Change, these crooks will face serious penalties.' The Sun first revealed Labour's plans to outlaw the sale of disposable vapes next month to both stop children buying them and to reduce litter. While chargeable e-cigs will still be allowed, retailers have reported users stockpiling disposable ones ahead of the ban. Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club, said: 'We have seen a significant uplift in disposable sales over the last three to four weeks, with sales increasing by 50-100 per cent, in many cases. Most read in The Sun "The most popular flavours have more than doubled.'
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd and Spurs fans told one common item at Europa final risks police action
Manchester United take on Tottenham in the final of the Europa League on Wednesday night, with around 80,000 supporters travelling to Bilbao from the UK for the game Football fans travelling to Bilbao for tonight's Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham have been issued a stark warning: leave your vapes at home. The San Mames Stadium, home of Athletic Bilbao and the venue for much-anticipated showpiece, has banned e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products, with strict penalties for those who flout the rules. United and Spurs are both hoping to turn dismal seasons into memorable ones by not only landing a major piece of silverware, but also booking an unlikely ticket to next season's Champions League. Up to 80,000 supporters are expected to descend on Bilbao, a city with a population of around 350,000. Those with match tickets will need to be on guard, as spectators caught vaping could face ejection from the stadium, a fine, and even a report to the police. While vaping is legal in Spain, the rules inside San Mamés are far stricter for the Europa League final. Ahead of the game, Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club and a founding member of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), urged fans to respect the rules. "If vaping is banned in the venue you're travelling to, it's best not to risk a fine or worse," he said. "Fans heading to Bilbao for the Europa League final need to be especially careful. Those attempting to enter with prohibited items could face eviction and be reported to the police." Marchant added: "Vaping within the stadium is prohibited, though there may be a designated smoking area. Check ahead of time, and don't risk using your vape in non-designated areas." The list of banned items at San Mamés is extensive. Alongside vaping products and e-liquids, fans are prohibited from bringing photo and video cameras without permission, helmets, balaclavas, ski masks, drones, oversized flags or banners (larger than 2m), food, drugs, alcohol, weapons, laser pointers, megaphones, fireworks, flares, smoke powder, glass or plastic bottles, backpacks and large bags. United and Tottenham enter the Europa League final with far more at stake than just silverware. Both clubs have suffered dismal domestic campaigns, sitting 16th and 17th respectively in the Premier League - perilously close to relegation. Ravaged by injuries and plagued by inconsistency, the game represents not just a shot at redemption, but a springboard back into Champions League football. Ruben Amorim's United reached the final with a 7-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao, while Tottenham secured their final spot with a 3-1 semi-final win over Bodo/Glimt. For the Red Devils, a win would mark a third consecutive season with silverware, following their FA Cup triumph in 2024 and League Cup success in 2023. Tottenham, by contrast, are chasing an end to a 17-year trophy drought - their last coming in the 2008 League Cup. While Amorim appears secure in his role, having only taken charge mid-season, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou's future remains uncertain, with reports suggesting that even a Europa League title may not be enough to save his job.
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Vapes being ‘stockpiled' ahead of Labour ban
Vape users are 'stockpiling' disposable devices ahead of a Labour ban that takes effect next month. Online vape shops are reporting that orders of some flavours have more than doubled in the past month as users try to hoard vapes that will soon be illegal to sell. Labour's ban on disposable vapes, first suggested by the Conservative government last January, will require vape users to buy reusable devices. It is part of a government crackdown on tobacco, after data showed the use of fruit-flavoured vapes had become widespread among children. New rules in effect from June 1 mean that corner shops, supermarkets and online tobacconists will no longer be allowed to sell 'single-use' devices. But a founder of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) said users had begun to stockpile vapes while they were still legal. Dan Marchant, who also runs the online store Vape Club, said he had seen a 'significant uplift in disposable sales over the past three to four weeks' with increases of 50 to 100 per cent. 'The most popular flavours have more than doubled,' he said. It comes after trading standards officers warned councils that they lacked the funding to enforce the ban, or to stop the prolific sale of illicit tobacco. Mr Marchant said: 'It's not surprising that adults who have been relying on these products to remain smoke-free are stockpiling ahead of the ban. 'It can take some time to find a replacement product that the user is comfortable with, so having enough disposables to get you by for a few weeks will be a safety blanket for those who are scared they may return to smoking otherwise.' 'Limited impact on vaping' Previous research suggested that the use of disposable vapes was now falling among 16 to 24-year-olds, who are in one of the age groups that most heavily use the devices. A survey by University College London (UCL) found that the proportion of that group that uses disposable vapes fell from 63 per cent to 35 per cent in the last year. The researchers said most users were switching to refillable devices rather than giving up entirely, and that the ban would have 'limited impact' on vaping numbers overall. Government public health guidance says that vaping is 95 per cent less harmful than smoking, but the long-term impacts of the habit are unknown. Announcing the ban last year, Andrew Gwynne, a former junior health minister, said banning disposables would 'reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people'.
Pembrokeshire Herald
22-04-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Wales illegal vape hotspots revealed as over 30,000 devices seized in 2024
Calls grow for licensing scheme amid enforcement concerns NEW data has revealed the Welsh hotspots for illegal vape sales, with over 30,000 illicit and unregulated products seized in 2024 – the equivalent of one every 20 minutes. The worst-affected area was Newport, where Newport City Council confiscated more than 21,000 illegal vapes last year – an increase of 173% compared to 2023. The city accounted for a third of all illegal vape seizures in Wales. Over the past three years, 49 premises closure orders have been issued in the area. Flintshire recorded the second highest number of seizures, with 4,545 illicit vapes removed from sale – up 170% on the previous year. The findings come from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted to 108 local authorities by Vape Club, and are published in the 2025 Illegal Vapes Report. The research lays bare the scale of the UK's growing illegal vape market. Wales' top five illegal vape hotspots in 2024 Newport City Council: 21,169 devices seized Flintshire County Council: 4,545 devices seized Carmarthenshire County Council: 1,850 devices seized Gwynedd Council: 721 devices seized Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council: 607 devices seized Despite 82 recorded instances of illegal vape sales in Wales last year, only five penalties were issued. Closure orders were served to just ten retailers – representing only 12% of reported cases. The figures have prompted growing concern over inadequate enforcement. Across the UK, 1.2 million illegal vapes were seized in 2024 – a 44% increase from the previous year. That equates to two illegal vapes seized every minute. Industry experts are calling for the introduction of a Vape Retailer and Distributor Licensing Scheme to help tackle the issue. Without stricter controls and additional resources for enforcement, they warn the illegal trade could surge – especially following the UK Government's planned ban on disposable vapes this June. Dan Marchant, Director at Vape Club, said: 'The real issue of illicit vape sales lies in the inadequate enforcement of current regulations and the weak penalties for offenders. With the disposable vape ban coming into force, we risk a flood of dangerous, unregulated products entering the UK, all because the core issue has not been addressed. 'This boils down to lacklustre fines and no structured funding for Trading Standards. That's why we strongly support a robust retail and distribution licensing scheme, with revenues ringfenced for proactive enforcement. 'This funding could give Border Force the resources to stop more illegal products at the border, and allow Trading Standards to crack down on rogue retailers and impose meaningful penalties.'
