Latest news with #Trading Standards
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Northampton shops lose alcohol licences over illegal tobacco
Two shops are no longer allowed to sell alcohol after they were found to be selling illegal standards officers in Northampton investigated Sam Mini Market in Abington Square and Istanbul Mega Market in Gold Street in cigarettes were discovered in backrooms and, at Sam Mini Market, concealed in a hidden compartment above a asked West Northamptonshire Council to review the shops' licences on the grounds they were failing to prevent crime and protect children from harm. The authority ruled the licence for Sam Mini Market, allowing it to sell alcohol from 08:00 until midnight seven days a week, should be revoked. The Local Democracy Reporting Service said new management had been put in place and had no intention of selling alcohol anymore. Its alcohol licence had already been suspended due to non-payment of annual fees to the Mega Market took the decision to surrender its premises licence prior to a licensing hearing. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- BBC News
Tackling the rogue roofing gang conning Cornwall homeowners
Homeowners in Cornwall are being warned about a gang of "rogue roofers" who try to con people out of Standards staff, who were joined by the BBC as they carried out their investigations, said the evidence showed the gang turn up to do small jobs and then tell victims their roof is unsafe and talk them into having the roof replaced, but the work is often poor victim who was conned out of £25,000 said she felt "embarrassed and ashamed" she fell for the Standards urged people to use reputable local companies and always get a proper written quote. 'I feel embarrassed' Jane - not her real name - had a leak in the roof of her mid-Cornwall home and posted the job on a handyman said: "First they quoted me £1,300 to fix the roof and tidy up the ridge tiles but when they turned up a couple of days later, they told me the tiles were all rotten and it would cost £15,000."Later she said the workers told her the rafters in her roof were all rotten and the job would now cost £25, paid the money and the job was done, but the work was of such low quality it is still leaking, and she has been told by a reputable roofing firm it will cost another £15,000 to do it properly."I feel embarrassed and ashamed that I fell for it but they were in my face and put me under so much pressure," she said."I do feel pretty stupid." Trading Standards officers have been supporting her with a follow-up visit, helping with documentation as she tries to claim money back from her Emil Gabriel, who is working on attachment with Trading Standards, said: "It's very frustrating that these people are so persuasive and so forceful, we like to give the victims as much support as we can."Most legitimate traders are busy and haven't got time to knock on people's doors so if someone does come, just say no."If they persist, then just close your door and call 999." The next visit for the team is a bungalow in Redruth where a man who had a small job completed on his roof is now being bombarded with calls, insisting more work needs to be Standards officer Matt Rawson has come to talk to him to prevent him from being ripped Rawson said: "Initially he needed four tiles replacing and they said they'd do it for just £25 per tile."But now they've upped the ante, saying his rafters are rotten and they're bombarding him with calls, telling him he has to honour the contract he signed. "Thankfully he has got in touch with us so we'll be taking the numbers he's been given and maybe we can take this further and move towards prosecution." According to Trading Standards guidance, home owners should check whether the firm has been vetted on Cornwall Council's Standards officers said many rogue traders were now using online directory services or social media and have moved away from "traditional" cold-calling on the advised people to get a quote which has details including what work was needed, the cost of materials and the timeframe for the agreeing works over the phone or at home have the legal right to cancel the contract within 14 days of the agreement, they added.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Shops legally selling addictive nicotine pouches to children
Shops are legally selling addictive nicotine pouches to children just weeks after single-use vapes were banned in an effort to cut their use among young people, Trading Standards has warned. Trading Standards officers said they had found shops displaying the pouches – often in child-friendly sweet flavours and with eye-catching packaging – in plain sight at the front of counters during visits to check they were no longer selling single-use vapes. Nicotine pouches, commonly known as 'snus', are small pouches similar in shape to teabags containing nicotine, flavourings and sweeteners. Users place them under their upper lip, allowing nicotine to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the gum. They are available in flavours similar to those of vapes including Tropical Mango, Very Berry and Cherry Ice. Trading Standards said the pouches currently 'fall between the gap' of regulation of either a tobacco or a nicotine product, meaning shops can legally sell them to a child of any age. There is increasing concern about the rising popularity of nicotine pouches among school-aged children in the UK as they can easily go undetected by teachers and parents due to their discreet placement on the gum. A YouGov survey commissioned by the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found a growing awareness of nicotine pouches among under-18s – rising from 38% in 2024 to 43% in 2025. Almost 4% of teenagers also report trying the pouches, according to the poll of 2,746 youngsters aged 11 to 17. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill that is currently making its way through Parliament makes the sale of these nicotine products illegal to anyone under the age of 18. It will also introduce powers to restrict the use of child-appealing flavours, packaging and advertising as well as dictate where they can be placed in shops. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is calling for the bill to be moved up the Parliamentary timetable to ensure it can be swiftly implemented. CTSI lead officer for tobacco and vapes Kate Pike said: 'We are getting increasing reports from concerned parents and teachers that shops are marketing and selling nicotine pouches to children. 'It is incredibly frustrating that there is nothing we can currently do to prevent them. 'We have been asking for an age of sale on nicotine pouches for some time and were delighted when this measure was included in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. 'We would urge Government to ensure the bill is prioritised in the parliamentary calendar to enable it to be finalised so we can start taking action against those who either deliberately or uncaringly risk children getting hooked on a highly addictive product.' Ash chief executive Hazel Cheeseman said: 'The government has all the tools needed to address youth appeal and use of nicotine pouches in legislation before parliament. But parliamentary time has not been found to progress this legislation since April. 'In the meantime, companies, who know their marketing practices will eventually be restricted, are continuing to heavily promote pouches in ways that appeal to children. 'While they are likely to be very much less harmful than smoking, they contain nicotine which is addictive, and the long-term health impacts are not known.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s and stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately promoted and advertised to children. 'The Bill will place nicotine pouches under the same advertising restrictions as tobacco and provides powers to regulate their nicotine limits, flavours, packaging and how they are displayed. 'It will stop the next generation from getting hooked on nicotine and put an end to the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.'
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Shops legally selling addictive nicotine pouches to children
Shops are legally selling addictive nicotine pouches to children just weeks after single-use vapes were banned in an effort to cut their use among young people, Trading Standards has warned. Trading Standards officers said they had found shops displaying the pouches – often in child-friendly sweet flavours and with eye-catching packaging – in plain sight at the front of counters during visits to check they were no longer selling single-use vapes. Nicotine pouches, commonly known as 'snus', are small pouches similar in shape to teabags containing nicotine, flavourings and sweeteners. Users place them under their upper lip, allowing nicotine to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the gum. They are available in flavours similar to those of vapes including Tropical Mango, Very Berry and Cherry Ice. Trading Standards said the pouches currently 'fall between the gap' of regulation of either a tobacco or a nicotine product, meaning shops can legally sell them to a child of any age. There is increasing concern about the rising popularity of nicotine pouches among school-aged children in the UK as they can easily go undetected by teachers and parents due to their discreet placement on the gum. A YouGov survey commissioned by the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found a growing awareness of nicotine pouches among under-18s – rising from 38% in 2024 to 43% in 2025. Almost 4% of teenagers also report trying the pouches, according to the poll of 2,746 youngsters aged 11 to 17. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill that is currently making its way through Parliament makes the sale of these nicotine products illegal to anyone under the age of 18. It will also introduce powers to restrict the use of child-appealing flavours, packaging and advertising as well as dictate where they can be placed in shops. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is calling for the bill to be moved up the Parliamentary timetable to ensure it can be swiftly implemented. CTSI lead officer for tobacco and vapes Kate Pike said: 'We are getting increasing reports from concerned parents and teachers that shops are marketing and selling nicotine pouches to children. 'It is incredibly frustrating that there is nothing we can currently do to prevent them. 'We have been asking for an age of sale on nicotine pouches for some time and were delighted when this measure was included in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. 'We would urge Government to ensure the bill is prioritised in the parliamentary calendar to enable it to be finalised so we can start taking action against those who either deliberately or uncaringly risk children getting hooked on a highly addictive product.' Ash chief executive Hazel Cheeseman said: 'The government has all the tools needed to address youth appeal and use of nicotine pouches in legislation before parliament. But parliamentary time has not been found to progress this legislation since April. 'In the meantime, companies, who know their marketing practices will eventually be restricted, are continuing to heavily promote pouches in ways that appeal to children. 'While they are likely to be very much less harmful than smoking, they contain nicotine which is addictive, and the long-term health impacts are not known.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s and stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately promoted and advertised to children. 'The Bill will place nicotine pouches under the same advertising restrictions as tobacco and provides powers to regulate their nicotine limits, flavours, packaging and how they are displayed. 'It will stop the next generation from getting hooked on nicotine and put an end to the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.'
