Thousands of cases of children being illegally sold vapes have been recorded by councils between 2022 and 2024. One way local authorities catch sellers red-handed is by sending undercover teenagers into shops across England. We spoke to some of those who spend their free time trying to catch law breakers in the act.
Oliver is 15 and has been test purchasing nicotine vapes for three years. None of his friends know what he does. We are not using his real name.
He says while many shops refuse to sell him vapes, he has successfully bought them "countless" times. When he is sold one, he hands it to a trading standards officer waiting outside the shop.
"We just go in, ask for it and they just hand it straight over. Don't ask anything," he says. "Sometimes they're more sneaky. Try hand it to you in secret, make sure no-one notices."
