Trading Standards Officers from Newham Council carried out test purchase operations to ensure that local businesses were not selling alcohol, and vapes to young people.

The recent test purchases saw young people, under the age of 18, attempting to purchase alcohol, and vapes from a number of different businesses in the borough.

Overall the planned test purchase operations were a success for the Trading Standards team, with a total of 31 businesses visited passing successfully, and preventing the sale of age-restricted products.

Unfortunately, on this occasion, 5 businesses failed to prevent the sale of alcohol or vape products to minors.

The failed business premises will now be investigated as part of Trading Standards ongoing enquiries.

It’s illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to purchase any type of alcohol, or vapes, in England, and local businesses overall in Newham have proved they’re following the rules by not selling to the youngsters.

Councillor Carleene Lee-Phakoe, Cabinet Member for Crime & Community Safety said: “It’s pleasing to see that the majority of businesses tested, successfully refused the sale of age-restricted products to minors.

“Businesses need to be extra vigilant, and prevent the sale of such products to those who are underage, and I’m glad to see that our local businesses are doing so.

“We will continue to carry out testing and we will stop the minority who are breaking the rules. It’s not acceptable in Newham to sell age-restricted products to our young people.”

The council will continue to run these test purchase operations and has noticed that the level of compliance has increased since last year.