Mayo councillor seeks tighter controls on vape shopfronts and advertising

Councillor Marie Therese Duffy has asked Mayo County Council to consider legislative changes that would restrict the use of bright neon signage, cartoon-style graphics and other eye-catching imagery on the exterior of vape shops, as well as the sale of products that appear to be aimed at children.

Among the proposals outlined in her motion is a requirement that vape shop windows be covered or limited to neutral-coloured signage, similar to restrictions already in place for tobacco products.

Under Ireland’s Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2015, all branding elements such as logos, colours and graphics were removed from tobacco packaging, with the legislation coming into force in September 2017.

Cllr Duffy said many vape outlets are now also selling items popular with younger generations, including the plush toy “Labubu”. The small, fluffy toys — recognisable by their pointy ears and distinctive smile — became a global trend last summer and are now commonly displayed in vape shop windows nationwide, not just in Mayo, making those shops appealing to children.

The motion also calls for guidelines requiring vape shops to adopt plain storefront designs, such as black-and-white lettering with no product advertising visible from outside. In addition, Cllr Duffy is seeking to have vaping products kept out of sight in all retail settings, stored behind counters or in closed units, in line with existing tobacco regulations. The motion was on the agenda for the January meeting of Mayo County Council, but was not discussed, and is likely to be re-submitted for the February meeting of the local authority. 

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Responding in a written submission ahead of the council meeting, Director of Services Catherine McConnell said current planning legislation does not distinguish between different types of retail use. As a result, changing a premises from one retail activity to another does not fall under the planning authority’s control.

She added that while advertising structures and signage are regulated, existing rules do not extend to the use of colour imagery or window displays.

This is not the first time the issue has been raised locally. Previously, Councillor Harry Barry called for limits on the number of vape shops opening in Castlebar at a meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District. He was told by district head David Mellett that the local authority has no power to control what type of business operates from a unit already in commercial use, and that any change would require national legislation.