Release date: 13 November 2025
Crawley Luggages Ltd, which operates Broadway Home Store in Queens Square, Crawley, was inspected by trading standards officers on 19 March 2025. During the inspection, officers seized 126 packets of nicotine pouches that failed to meet UK labelling and packaging regulations.
This was the second time the business had been found selling non-compliant nicotine products. A similar seizure occurred in January 2025, after which the business was issued a formal warning.
Following complaints about underage vape sales, Broadway Home Store was subjected to a test purchase on 27 March 2025. A 16-year-old, working with trading standards officers, successfully purchased a bottle of nicotine-containing e-liquid without being asked for proof of age or ID. The sale was witnessed by an officer, who identified the seller as Ravinder Singh, director of Crawley Luggages Ltd.
This was not the first such incident. In March 2023, Singh sold a disposable e-cigarette to a 17-year-old girl during a previous test purchase, with warnings issued to both the business and its director at the time.
Although the business correctly refused a sale to a 14-year-old boy during a test in June 2025, the repeated breaches prompted officers to pursue legal action.
On 9 October 2025, Crawley Luggages Ltd and Ravinder Singh appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court. Both pleaded guilty to:
- Two offences under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 for breaches of assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008
- One offence under the Children and Families Act 2014 for the underage sale
Each defendant was fined a total of £1,376, comprising a £652 fine, £260 victim surcharge and £464 in costs.
Cllr Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said: “This is the second successful prosecution for underage vape sales that West Sussex County Council has brought to court in recent months.
“Supporting our Council Plan aim of keeping people safe from vulnerable situations, trading standards officers regularly work with underage volunteers to conduct test purchases of e-cigarettes, alcohol, tobacco and other age-restricted products.
“In appropriate cases, businesses that sell age-restricted products to children could face criminal prosecution, and licensed premises could have their licence reviewed.”
If any residents have concerns about businesses selling age-restricted products to children, they can report this at https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/business-and-consumers/trading-standards-information-for-consumers/report-an-incident-or-issue-to-trading-standards/.
