Demand for legal vapes is "high" according to Hertfordshire's Trading Standards boss, after a councillor pressed him about the large number of vape shops in the county.

A Trading Standards planning report was presented to members of Hertfordshire County Council's public health and community safety cabinet panel on Thursday, June 4.

Cllr Ajanta Hilton, chairman of the committee, said: "I know people are hugely interested in this area, and considering 40% of all crimes are fraud, it's a real concern."

The report outlined that second-hand car sales make up the biggest complaint for Hertfordshire's Trading Standards team, with a "long-term trend" of increased criminal allegations.

The document stated: "The total number of complaints Trading Standards received in 2025-26 was 12,712. The Covid period aside, the overall long-term trend is flat, but within that figure, there is a long-term trend of an increase in those complaints classed as a criminal allegation.

"Criminal complaints are generally the ones that are more likely to warrant intervention.

"Used car sales remain the most complained about thematic area in the county. This is consistent with the national picture, largely due to a car being the second most expensive item purchased and being a complex product.

"The service focused on this area as a priority in the last few years, concentrating on the most complained-about retailers in an effort to improve consumers' experience and a level playing field for businesses."

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Russell Reeder, head of regulatory services, told councillors that officers had carried out seven seizures on Monday and Tuesday last week, covering four districts, and seizing some 32,000 illegal cigarettes.

Cllr John Hale (Colney Heath and Marshalswick, Lib Dem) said: "I've got a resident who's been having some support from Trading Standards for the last few weeks and I would like to say I'm very pleased with that."

Cllr Hale then asked about vape shops, saying: "I find it very hard to believe that the number of vape shops we have around the county can be supported by the amount of vapes sold.

"What work are we doing with the police, and how is the liaison with the police working in trying to identify what percentage of trade those shops are doing that is illegal and not related to vapes?"

Mr Reeder said: "It's a challenging area, I will say. It's something [that involves] separating the illegal activities of those who choose to trade in illicit goods entirely – whether that's illegal vapes, predominantly illegal tobacco – and those who are serving the demand, which is high, for legal vapes.

"The way we approach that is we work on intelligence. We work with HMRC, with the districts and the police, to identify which premises are which types. We carry out test purchasing across the county, and we respond to significant numbers of complaints from the public.

"We have a way of assessing which of those are attempting to trade legally and getting it wrong, and which of those have no intention of complying… The police help us significantly, and that's recognised beyond Hertfordshire, with operations like Mechanise and things like that."

Cllr Paul Seeby (Cheshunt Central, Cons) said: "I'm particularly interested to read a comment that criminality is playing a greater part in your work. I just wonder whether there are any specific trends?

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"I was reading this week, a warehouse in Northamptonshire got raided [that was used] for slimming loss drugs. I do wonder whether there's an illegal market being born around that specific issue?"

Mr Reeder said: "In terms of criminality, the paper references around 17,000 contacts or so a year, which covers a range from dissatisfaction and concern and question, to outright criminal allegations.

"I think approximately 14 criminal allegations per day arrive in the county. That can be anything. So, slimming products, yes, that comes up. Any kind of product, someone will attempt to counterfeit it or cheat it.

"Most people don't, 99% of businesses are there solely to make a trade and develop a good brand. Some of them get it wrong, and we really want to help them get that right. But there will be somebody who is importing something potentially illegal in every single industry…It's never-ending."