Overview

• The ban on single-use vapes became law across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on June 1, outlawing in-store and online sales of disposable devices.
• Retailers face at least £200 fines for first offences and up to two years’ imprisonment for repeat breaches, yet LBC investigators and local reports found banned products still on shelves.
• Vape companies have swiftly launched rechargeable, refillable alternatives that meet legal criteria, prompting debate over the ban’s impact on youth vaping and litter reduction.
• Surveys from Haypp and industry owners show some consumers stockpiled disposables before the deadline and that roughly 20% may revert to cigarettes while others consider illegal purchases.
• Electrical Safety First and fire services warn that improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries in banned vapes risks fires in waste systems and urge use of retailer take-back and recycling schemes.