The city council’s trading standards team have seized illegal and unsafe products worth millions in the last year.
Seizures included unsafe electrical goods, toys and cosmetics alongside illegal tobacco and vapes.
In the financial year 2025/2026, the value of goods seized was £3.3 million and reflects sustained enforcement activity across the year.
Illegal tobacco seized during the year was valued at almost £750,000 and included cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco and vapes.
There was also action carried out on unsafe electrical goods and the removal of non-compliant toys and baby products from the market.
The overall total was heavily influenced by major cases involving unsafe air fryers from a large city-based importer.
Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride and enforcement at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “These figures highlight the important work that our trading standards team carry out all year round and the help we get from the community in holding businesses to account.
“Removing these unsafe products off our streets help protect consumers and ensures the marketplace is fair and legal businesses are not being undermined. It forms part of our wider work to keep streets safe and create a heathier, fairer city. The message is clear – if you sell unsafe, illegal products, you will face serious consequences.”
Anyone with concerns about illegal tobacco, vapes and underage sales can contact Trading Standards on the hotline at 01782 238884 or visit: www.stoke.gov.uk/tradingstandards
