"The market will change but vapes are still the way forward..."
Penny Hodgson
Image Credit: by Penny Hodgson
Last month, the vape industry was left threatened after the Scottish government announced their plans to create a ‘smokefree generation.’
New measures will see the ban of disposable vapes, as well as restrictions on packaging and the promotion of refillable devices, by the end of this year.
A report, by the Centre for Business and Economic Research, found that the UK’s vaping industry currently makes around £2.8bn each year, with disposables making up to 83% of this.
In Scotland alone, around 21 to 26 million vapes were consumed between April 2022 and April 2023, a review by Zero Waste Scotland revealed. As these popular products are set to be taken off the shelves, stores could be at significant risk.
Currently, there are over 3,500 specialist vape retailers across all four nations, providing over 18,000 jobs. While some fear for the future, others see the new restrictions as a “way forward.”
A store owner of Glasgow vape retailer, VAPED 4U, admits “a large proportion” of their sales are from disposable devices. However, they welcome the ban.
“There is a massive problem with under-age vaping, we and the majority [of stores] ensure we remain above board, but the few that aren’t are the ones that have caused the problem. We believe that much more regulation was needed to control who can sell vapes, for example prevent them being sold in takeaways or hairdressers, and larger fines imposed for illicit trading,” they said.
“We have been for a while pushing customers into refillable pod devices and refillable vapes, as this is a much more affordable option for them,” said the retailer, who has multiple locations across the city.
Image Credit: by Penny Hodgson
The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has a different stance. They are “urging” the Scottish Government to rethink their plans, particularly surrounding the promotion of vaporised products.
Vaping already faces advertising regulations, and the UKVIA believes furthering these strict measures will not only have an impact on businesses but also on smokers themselves.
Responding to the government’s announcement, the UKVIA said in a blog post “[this] creates a significant risk to the health of people of Scotland looking to quit smoking, as well as creating more uncertainty around vaping caused by misinformation.”
Despite these new enforcements, the government publicly supports vape campaigns encouraging smokers to switch to this ‘better’ alternative.
Although there will be changes to their brand soon, VAPED 4U believe that “vapes are still the way forward.”
The retailer said, “we have already made changes to our range… and hope to offer a solution to customers that use disposable vapes. They are significantly safer than cigarettes, and are still recommended…to smokers that are looking to quit.”
To find out more about the government's new restrictions, please click here.