Vape brand Lost Mary has called on retailers to remain vigilant against the threat of counterfeit vaping products and has issued a warning of the potential risks these substandard products pose to both the industry and users.
As regulatory changes reshape the UK vaping sector and enforcement on illicit products intensifies, illegal brands now face greater barriers. This has prompted imitators to adapt their approach, with a high likelihood for counterfeits to become increasingly widespread.
A spokesperson from Lost Mary said: “These counterfeit products don’t meet the rigorous quality and safety standards of genuine products. They’re likely to contain substandard components, leading to a poor user experience and potential health and safety risks for customers who unknowingly purchase them, while also damaging consumer trust, retailer reputation and market integrity.”
Packaging-related indicators helping retailers identify counterfeit vapes
Spelling errors or inconsistent spacing between words
Off-centre text or misaligned QR codes
Font differences compared with a genuine product - even if slight
Subtle differences in print quality or resolution compared with a genuine product
Missing batch numbers
Absence of the embossed triangle on the nicotine warning on the back of packs
Counterfeit products are also often identified through post-purchase customer complaints. Here, retailers and consumers should be alert to product quality issues such as unusual taste, crackling sounds during use, or a burnt plastic smell as key indicators.
Prior to sale, retailers can verify product authenticity using online tools provided by individual brands, including Lost Mary, many of which have unique security or QR codes on their packaging for this purpose. Consumers are also encouraged to verify products to ensure they’re genuine.
If the verification page is not hosted on the brand’s official website, the product is highly likely to be counterfeit. Other red flags include invalid pages, links that lead to fake domains and QR codes that show they’ve been checked multiple times or verified in different countries.
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