Retailers in Scotland will have to ask for proof of age to sell e-cigarettes to customers, following the passing of the Health (tobacco, nicotine and care) Bill.

The Bill was put through Scottish Parliament today and is expected to come into force at the end of the year. Retailers will be required to have an age verification policy for these products in place and proxy purchase will become an offence.

John Lee, head of public affairs at the Scottish Grocers Federation, said the passing of the Bill will put more compliance requirements on stores at a time when the effects of plain packaging legislation and the EU Tobacco Products Directive 2 are beginning to hit home.

It means that retailers will have yet more legislation to comply with in 2016

“While we have been supportive of most of the measures contained in the Bill it means that retailers will have yet more legislation to comply with in 2016,” he said.

“We are working with the Scottish government to firm up on the exact timeframe for implementation of the measures in the Bill, some of which will require secondary legislation.”

He added that the SGF would issue guidance to its members to enable them to comply and continue to sell tobacco and other products responsibly.

E-cigarettes were made age-restricted products in England and Wales in October last year.