Overview

• From June 1, all UK retailers must stop selling, supplying or stocking disposable vapes or face on-the-spot fines of £200 and potential imprisonment for repeat offences.
• Vapes with rechargeable batteries and refillable containers remain legal, and retailers have been shifting stock to reusable models ahead of the ban.
• Surveys show over 80% of vapers plan to bulk-buy disposables before the deadline, creating fire hazards from improperly stored lithium batteries in homes and waste facilities.
• Health and environmental groups have backed the ban to tackle youth nicotine addiction and litter, while Action on Smoking and Health reports disposable vape use among 18-24-year-olds has fallen but remains significant.
• Industry bodies warn of unintended consequences, including potential black market sales, former smokers reverting to cigarettes and new pod-style models exploiting reusable criteria to remain on shelves.