Trading Standards to bolster street presence with new £10m boost

The government has announced a £10m funding boost for Trading Standards to “bolster operations” in local communities over the next year.

It would pay for the recruitment of an additional 80 apprentice enforcement officers to prevent harmful tobacco and vape products from entering neighbourhood shops and to stop underage sales, said the government. 

The new funding builds on similar measures in place, including HMRC and Border Force’s £100m Illicit Tobacco Strategy to crack down on illegal tobacco.

Alongside this, the new vaping duty - coming into force in 2026 - will introduce new civil and criminal powers, giving Trading Standard officers the ability to seize products and recruit over 200 additional compliance staff, said the government.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has welcomed the ”substantial funding” for Trading Standards.

“This much-needed investment will strengthen our ability to support businesses in complying with current and future tobacco and vaping regulations and will also ensure we are well placed to support the protection of public health,” said John Herriman, chief executive of the CTSI.

Commenting on the announcement, Gillian Golden, chief executive of the IBVTA, said:“We applaud the announcement of this much needed investment in strengthening the Trading Standards workforce. Local authorities have seen successive funding cuts from central government alongside significant rising financial pressures. The IBVTA applauds the work by trading standards teams across the country to level the playing field for legitimate businesses”.

The funding sits alongside the Tobacco and Vapes Bill which would introduce new measures such as £200 on the spot fines and the Generational Smoking Ban.

The Bill will return to Commons this Wednesday (26 March 2025) for its Report Stage and Third Reading.

It will be the final chance for the Commons to debate the Bill before it moves to the House of Lords for further consideration.