Sheffield named one of the worst spots in the country for illegal tobacco sales
Sheffield has been named as one of the worst places in the country for illegal tobacco sales.
The city has been identified as one of the worst culprits for non-duty-paid cigarette sales across the country, with 50 retailers caught out selling illegal tobacco goods in 2025.
It has been ranked as having fifth highest number of sales in the country, behind Dudley in the Midlands - where there were 83 retailers caught out- and Liverpool with 125.
The new data - shared by nicotine alternative specialists Alternix - was gathered through FOI (freedom of information) requests sent to councils across the country with questions about the illegal cigarette trade.
Sheffield saw a rise in the number of retailers caught out compared to previous data in 2022, when only 15 were reported.
In South Yorkshire, Sheffield had most retailers flouting the law, followed by Barnsley with 41 retailers found to have sold non-duty-paid cigarettes in 2025. There were 28 found in Doncaster.
Sheffield City Council said it take ‘firm action against offenders’ found to be selling illegal tobacco products.
Trading Standards operatives at the council work with businesses to ensure they comply with tobacco regulations, while working with organisations like South Yorkshire Police to respond to complaints.
A council spokesperson added: “Our Trading Standards team has a programme of regular inspections and test purchases around the sale of illegal tobacco.
“Traders are warned not to stock or sell illegal tobacco. If tobacco is found on their premises it is seized and appropriate legal action is taken.
“The council takes firm action against offenders through the courts, alcohol licence reviews and potential closure orders.”
New legislation from the Government hopes to help make the UK’s first smokefree generation through stricter regulations around tobacco products.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024 limited smoking in public, while banning vapes from being branded towards children and further enforcing existing restrictions.
More information from Alternix can be found here
In March, The Star revealed that more than 45,000 illegal vapes worth over £500,000 were seized by Sheffield City Council over the past six years.
Meanwhile, in February Sheffield Crown Court instructed Barzen Mahmood-Poor to pay £21,285 within three months - and a total of £228,503 overall - after he pleaded guilty 10 offences relating to the sale of counterfeit tobacco, tobacco that contravened packaging regulations and vapes with a tank size that exceeded the permitted 2ml last August.
At the time, Councillor Joe Otten, chair of the waste and street scene committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We continue our commitment to protecting the next generation from tobacco harm and those who target them with vapes.
“Everyone, including children and young people, needs to be safe from harm and we are determined to make sure that they are not put at risk wherever possible.”
David Phillips from Alternix - a leading supplier in nicotine alternatives like gum and lozenges - added: “Illicit tobacco continues to present a significant challenge in the UK.
“These products bypass the regulations designed to protect consumers and reduce harm, making it harder to achieve meaningful progress on smoking cessation rates.
“Encouraging smokers to switch to regulated, smoke-free alternatives is a critical part of the solution, but that can only happen effectively within a well-enforced and properly regulated market. If we want to tackle this issue, there needs to be a balanced approach, allowing adult smokers to make better choices.”