Age Verification Policy of Vape Bar Wholesale
Vape Bar Wholesale sells age-restricted nicotine and vaping products, and UK law requires us to confirm that every customer placing an order is 18 or over before that order can be processed. This policy explains the legal basis for that requirement and how age verification works when you order from us.
Why We Verify Age
Under the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015, it is a criminal offence in the UK to sell any nicotine-containing vaping product, including devices, e-liquids, prefilled pod kits, and refill pods, to anyone under the age of 18. This applies equally to online and in-person sales, and it is also an offence for an adult to buy vaping products on behalf of someone underage (known as proxy purchasing).
Retailers and wholesalers who fail to verify a customer's age can face significant fines, enforced by Trading Standards across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. We take this responsibility seriously, not just as a legal obligation but also because the responsible sale of nicotine products is central to how we operate as a wholesale supplier.
How We Verify Your Age
Age verification happens at more than one stage of the ordering process:
1. At checkout. You'll be asked to confirm your date of birth before your order can be completed. Orders that confirm an age under 18 are automatically declined.
2. At the account or first order stage. As a trade account, we may ask you to confirm your details align with a legitimate, age-verified business at the point your account is set up, rather than repeating full checks on every single order.
3. On delivery. Our courier partners may request photo ID at the point of delivery for age-restricted goods as an additional safeguard beyond the online checks completed at checkout.
4. If a check can't be completed automatically. In some cases, we may ask you to provide a valid photo ID, a passport, a UK driving licence, or a PASS-accredited ID card before an order can be dispatched.
If Your Age Can't Be Verified
If we're unable to confirm you're 18 or over through the checks above, your order will be placed on hold. You'll be contacted with instructions on how to provide a valid ID for manual review. Orders that cannot ultimately be age-verified will be cancelled, and any payment taken will be refunded in full.
How Your Information Is Handled
Any ID documents submitted for age verification are used solely to confirm your eligibility to purchase age-restricted products and are handled in line with UK data protection law. We don't use this information for any other purpose. Full details on how we handle personal data more broadly are available in our Privacy Policy.
FAQs:
Do I need to verify my age even if I clearly look over 18?
Yes. UK law requires an actual verification check on every applicable order. A visual judgement by a member of staff isn't sufficient on its own, whether ordering online or arranging trade collection.
Is this a one-time check, or does it happen on every order?
Verification is typically confirmed when a trade account is first set up, with checks able to be repeated or re-requested on individual orders where needed.
What happens if I don't have a photo ID available?
Contact our team via the details on our Contact page. In most cases, a valid photo ID is required to complete manual verification, so it's worth having one ready if your order is flagged.
Does this apply to trade and wholesale accounts, not just individual shoppers?
Yes. Because our products are age-restricted regardless of order size, the same legal requirement to confirm the purchaser is 18 or over applies to trade accounts and bulk orders in the same way as any other order.
