Cigarette sales

Menthol cigarettes are banned from Wednesday 20 May 2020. For further information, see Journal of trading standards: Menthol cigarette ban.

It is illegal to sell tobacco products to any person under the age of 18, even if they are for someone else, including their parents.

Tobacco products include cigarettes, cigarette papers and cigars.

Cigarettes must be sold in their original packaging and packs should not be opened and cigarettes sold individually.

Traders who sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to people under the age of 18 could be prosecuted and face fines up to £2,500. The maximum fine for selling loose cigarettes or not displaying the required notice is £1000.

You must display this statutory notice next to tobacco products: 

It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18.

Selling cigarette vending machines

The sale of tobacco from vending machines has been banned in England, with anyone caught selling cigarettes in machines facing a fine of £2,500.

For more information on change to the law, see Illegal tobacco.