For retailers, the next few months will bring some significant changes to the way tobacco and nicotine products can be sold. Whenever new regulations come along, there is inevitably a lot to take in – new dates to remember, staff to brief, processes to check. But the good news is that much of what retailers will be asked to do will already feel very familiar.
The changes coming into force from October 2026 and January 2027 are the first in a series following the Tobacco and Vapes Act, which received royal assent earlier this year. The aim is straightforward: to support the government’s ambition for a smoke-free UK, reduce youth vaping and protect children from nicotine addiction, while making sure lower-risk nicotine products remain available to adults who smoke and want to use them to quit.
That balance really matters. For many adults who smoke, vaping can be an important and effective step away from cigarettes. But children should not be drawn into nicotine use in the first place. Retailers are the people who make that distinction work, day in and day out, at the counter.
Most responsible retailers are already doing much of what is needed. Age verification checks are part of everyday life in stores. In many cases, the new requirements build on established good habits.
There are three key dates in the coming months.
First, from 1 October 2026, the new vape excise tax will come into effect. Retailers will have until April 2027 to sell through existing stock, but products entering the supply chain after 1 October will need the required tax stamp and selling them without will be a serious offence.
Then, from 29 October, the minimum age of sale of 18 will apply to all consumer nicotine products, including nicotine pouches and zero-nicotine vapes. Free distribution of these products will also be banned, as will vending machines selling vapes and other consumer nicotine products.
Finally, on 1 January 2027, the smoke-free generation legislation comes into force. From that date, it will be illegal to sell tobacco, herbal tobacco or cigarette papers to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. Crucially for retailers and their customers, those already legally entitled to buy tobacco will keep that right throughout their lives.
Enforcing the legislation
On paper, that may sound complicated. In practice, however, the smoke-free generation policy is really the same extra date-of-birth check within the age verification routines retailers already use.
There is one further point that deserves attention. The legislation has clarified that heated tobacco products are subject to the same restrictions on display and promotion as other tobacco products. Any business that has not already updated displays or removed advertising should take immediate action.
Of course, legislation only works if it is properly enforced. It is frustrating for responsible retailers when competitors ignore the law and gain an unfair advantage. The act introduces fixed penalty notices in England and Wales for many offences, giving Trading Standards a quicker and more proportionate enforcement tool. Trading Standards teams in England have also received additional investment to support compliance.
Retailers can help here too. Reporting businesses that sell tobacco or nicotine products illegally protects local communities and helps create the level playing field responsible retailers deserve.
Ultimately, this is a shared responsibility. Government, Trading Standards, public health organisations and retailers all have a role in making the new framework work.
For retailers, preparation is the immediate priority. The government has issued comprehensive guidance for businesses to make sure everyone understands what is changing before the deadlines arrive.
But it is worth stepping back and remembering why this all matters. Fewer people smoking means healthier communities, less pressure on families and public services, and more money in customers’ pockets to spend on things other than tobacco. That is good for public health, and it is good for responsible retailers too.
The next chapter of the smoke-free journey is beginning. Retailers have a vital role in making sure it succeeds.
Caroline Cerny is deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking & Health
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