Major change to ID rules on cigarettes & vapes sparks fears hundreds of shops across UK will be forced to close
HUNDREDS of retailers fear they could go out of business over enforcing age bans on smoking and vape sales.
Campaigning shopkeeper Paul Cheema says new laws could be the "final straw" as they deal with aggressive customers when asked for identification.
Advertisement
5
Disposable vaping devices are seen for sale in a shop on May 30, 2023 in Manchester, England
Credit: Getty
5
Campaigning shopkeeper Paul Cheema
Credit: ACS / Association of Convenience Stores
5
Boy holding vapes
Credit: Getty
The move comes after the hard-pressed firms are already dealing with a hike in rising business rates and feel shoplifting in their stores is going unpunished.
He has joined forces with 700 fellow shopkeepers amid fears asking for ID could lead to more violence in the shops.
On-the-spot fines of £200 will be handed out by trading standards inspectors for selling tobacco, vape and nicotine products to underage customers.
Anyone born after January 1, 2009 will not be able to buy tobacco as Ministers aim for the first smoke-free generation.
Advertisement
read more in uk news
The retailers have written to Business Secretary
Mr Cheema said: "The proposed laws will do nothing to stop the illicit trade, but will put us in the firing line when enforcement falls on shop staff. It'll be the final straw.
"We all want to protect young people from smoking.
"But badly thought-through laws won't do that – they'll just drive more sales underground, where nobody checks ID.
Advertisement
Most read in The Sun
Latest
"We're not asking for handouts. We're asking to be heard. The government is piling pressure on our sector from every direction:"
"I've seen the government move mountains to protect 2,700 jobs in the steel industry – and rightly so.
Police raid largest spice vapes operation after kids were left hospitalised
"But there are 445,000 jobs in UK convenience stores, and we're being ignored."
"Local shops like mine are part of the fabric of British life. We're open early, open late, and we're there for people when no one else is.
Advertisement
"But there comes a point where enough is enough."
There are also fears that adults will go to illicit stores to buy tobacco which will reduce the income for smaller stores.
Tobacco sales account for 15 per cent of the sales with six million people who see smoking as a way of life.
A government spokesperson said: "Small businesses are the lifeblood of our high streets, and our Plan for Change will help ensure they thrive.
Advertisement
"We're taking tough action on shoplifters, and worked with retailers to help them get ready for the ban on single use vapes.'
5
Recycling electronic cigarettes. Vapor sticks, e-cigarettes on light background.
Credit: Getty
5
A woman poses for a photograph holding a single-use vape
Credit: Getty
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The 42
10 hours ago
- The 42
Liverpool complete £100m club-record signing of Florian Wirtz
PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS Liverpool have completed the £100million club-record signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. The deal for the 22-year-old Germany international could potentially become a British record as there are £16m of add-ons included, which would surpass the existing mark of £115m which Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023. It is understood Liverpool will be happy to pay these 'aspirational bonuses' as it will mean they have enjoyed considerable success at elite level. Florian Wirtz is a Red. — Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 20, 2025 Wirtz has signed a five-year contract and the capture of one of Europe's most highly-rated talents is seen as a significant coup for the club having initially faced competition from Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Advertisement Leverkusen had valued Wirtz at £126m but a compromise was reached last week, although the up-front fee easily outstrips the £85m deal Liverpool agreed with Benfica in 2022 for Darwin Nunez, who is expected to leave this summer. Wirtz is Liverpool's second signing of the summer, following close friend and Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield, and with the Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Marmadashvilli joining next month after a deal was agreed a year ago spending has already reached £175m. That is set to be pushed beyond the £200m mark with a £40m fee agreed for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez. It is their biggest summer window since 2018 when Naby Keita, Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker were recruited for around £170m, with Virgil van Dijk having signed for £75m the previous January. Owners Fenway Sports Group have, despite their 'Moneyball' reputation, not been afraid to splash out big fees for transformative players like Van Dijk and Alisson – and Wirtz falls into that category. The club have already recouped around £26m with the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher with further funds expected to be generated from the likes of Nunez, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa and potentially Andy Robertson, who is a target for Atletico Madrid. 'I feel very happy and very proud. I was waiting for a long time – finally it's done and I am really happy,' Wirtz told the club's website. 'I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League. 'I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it's perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I'm really looking forward to playing my first game. 'I would like to win everything every year! First of all, we have to do our work, I have to make my work. 'In the end, we want to be successful. Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I'm really ambitious.'
Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Florian Friday: Wirtz seals Liverpool move from Bayer Leverkusen in club record deal
Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. The German will cost a club record £100m and his price could rise with add-ons to £116m (€135), which would make him the most expensive British transfer. Leverkusen had wanted €150m (£127.6m) for the 22-year-old, who also attracted interest from Bayern Munich, but weeks of talks brought down the price. Wirtz, an attacking midfielder, scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in the past season in 45 club appearances. Read More Liverpool agree deal to sign Milos Kerkez as Florian Wirtz undergoes medical Wirtz, who has played 31 times for Germany, succeeds Darwin Núñez as Liverpool's record signing. Núñez arrived from Benfica in June 2022 in an £85m deal but the forward is for sale after an underwhelming spell. Liverpool have also bought Jeremie Frimpong, a right-back, from Leverkusen for £29.5m and have agreed a £40m deal to buy the left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth. Kerkez is due for a medical next week with a view to signing a five-year deal and Liverpool are also keen on the Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi. In a further part of the squad renewal the goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will complete his move to Anfield from Valencia in a £29m deal agreed last summer. Liverpool are in talks with Leverkusen over selling the England Under-21 defender to the Bundesliga club. Guardian
The Irish Sun
12 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Liverpool SMASH British transfer record as champions confirm Florian Wirtz deal from Leverkusen for £116.5million
FLORIAN WIRTZ has officially joined Liverpool - and wants to "win everything" at Anfield. The Reds have forked out a whopping £116.5MILLION to recruit the attacking midfielder from 7 Liverpool have completed the Premier League record signing of Florian Wirtz Credit: GETTY 7 The Reds have paid Bayer Leverkusen a whopping £116.5million for the attacking midfielder Credit: GETTY 7 Germany international Wirtz has inked a five-year contract at Anfield Credit: GETTY That fee has shattered the £115million Liverpool have fended off stiff competition from Manchester City and Real Madrid to land The German told the club's website: "I feel very happy and very proud. "Finally it's done and I was waiting for a long time – finally it's done and I am really happy. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS 'I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. "This was also a big point of my thoughts - that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League. "I would like to win everything every year! First of all, we have to do our work, I have to make my work. "In the end, we want to be successful. Most read in Football JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS "Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I'm really ambitious." The German international is set to become one of the Premier League's highest earners during his Anfield stay. 7 He's reportedly been handed a contract worth That works out to an eye-watering £12.7m a year, nearly TWELVE TIMES what he earned on his last contract with Leverkusen. The midfielder is guaranteed to take home £10.2m of that figure each year, with the remainder being made up of individual and team performance bonuses. Wirtz's mammoth contract has made him Liverpool 's THIRD HIGHEST-PAID player. Only Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who both penned new £400,000-a-week deals with the Prem champions last season, earn more than him. 7 He continued: "I will see how I can perform here. I hope I can do my best. "I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it's perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. "I'm really looking forward to playing my first game." Florian Wirtz's TikTok star Wag is called 'the prettiest woman I've ever seen' ahead of his £116m move to Liverpool Wirtz will be joined in England by his She was first pictured with Wirtz last year and was also present as Leverkusen wrapped up the 2023/24 Bundesliga title. Aaliyah pictured cheering on the German at the Euros last summer. And Wirtz will have a familiar face to help him get adjusted to life at Anfield. 7 Wirtz with his girlfriend Aaliyah last summer Credit: Getty 7 She stunned in a Germany shirt at the Euros last summer Credit: Getty The Reds signed his fellow former Leverkusen star Kopites will be hoping the pair make their competitive debuts in the Reds' Premier League opener against Bournemouth on August 15. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at
