The sale and supply of single-use disposable vapes is now prohibited across the United Kingdom. This legislation came into full effect on 1 June 2025 and applies to all retail outlets in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This includes high street shops, convenience stores, petrol stations, and all online retailers.
Under the current regulations, a vaping device is classified as a "single-use" or "disposable" product if it is not designed to be reused. This means any device that is non-rechargeable, non-refillable, or features a coil that cannot be replaced is no longer legal for sale. The ban covers both nicotine-containing products and nicotine-free (0mg) versions. Legitimate businesses were given a sell-through period that ended in early 2025 to clear their existing stock.
The UK government introduced this measure to address two significant issues. The first is the environmental impact, as millions of disposables were being discarded weekly, wasting lithium batteries and creating hazardous litter. The second is the rise in youth vaping, with the low cost and accessibility of disposables being identified as a primary driver for underage use.
While single-use devices are gone, adult vapers can still purchase a wide range of legal, reusable hardware. These products are more sustainable and often more cost-effective over time.
Refillable Pod Kits: Rechargeable devices where the user manually fills a pod with bottled e-liquid.
Prefilled Pod Systems: Rechargeable batteries that use replaceable pods already filled with flavour. Once a pod is empty, it is swapped for a new one while the battery is kept.
Traditional Vape Kits: More advanced rechargeable devices with replaceable coils and refillable tanks.
Former disposable users can still enjoy the same flavours by switching to "bar salts." These are bottled e-liquids designed to provide the same intense flavour and smooth experience found in the old single-use devices. Many leading brands have transitioned their most popular flavours into these bottled ranges to support customers moving to legal hardware.
The ban focuses on the sale and supply of products. While it is not illegal to own or use a disposable bought before the ban, businesses caught selling them now face significant penalties, including unlimited fines and the seizure of non-compliant stock. For your safety, we recommend only purchasing rechargeable and refillable kits from trusted, compliant retailers.
