New data shows Kent seized the third highest number of illegal vapes in the UK in 2025, with over 170,000 products confiscated - around 22% higher than the previous year.
The council said it has seen a consistent increase in illicit vaping products impacting local high streets. Across the last three years, more than 738,044 illegal vapes have been seized in the area, underscoring the challenge local authorities and high streets face.
The data also shows that 55% of UK councils seized thousands of illegal vapes last year. Kent is the area where the most illegal vapes were seized in the south east of England, significantly more than the 3,850 vapes seized in Oxfordshire and the 8,107 in Sussex.
The data, gathered from a freedom of information (FOI) request from local councils across the UK, was conducted by the UK online vaping and pod retailer, Vape Club, as part of its annual Illegal Vapes & Nicotine Product Report, which can be read in full here.
The figures highlight a growing enforcement challenge, particularly in busy shopping areas, town centres, and retail locations where illegal products can reach consumers, the supplier warned.
Dan Marchant, smoking cessation expert and director of Vape Club, said of the figures: “We’ve long called for a retail and distributor licensing framework to be implemented for the vape sector. This would provide trading standards the power and resources to effectively enforce the law right across the UK. It’s a nationwide issue and is affecting our high streets and local areas.
“A conservative estimate for the value of the black market is around £300m per year, put into the pockets of nefarious gangs. However, we believe the actual value of the black market could easily be £1bn or more, based on consumer purchasing habit data.
“The Government needs to get a grip of the issue and put the correct framework in place which is proactive in tackling the issue, because there’s a huge number of illicit products still slipping through the net.”
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