From Sunday 1 June 2025, it is illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes.
It is also illegal to offer to sell or supply single-use vapes or to stock single-use vapes that you plan to sell or supply.
The ban applies to sales online and in shops and all vapes whether or not they contain nicotine.
You must arrange to recycle any leftover stock of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025. You can still sell and supply vapes that are reusable.
Definition of single-use and reusable vapes
Single-use vapes are not designed or intended for reuse. A vape is single-use if it either:
- has a battery you cannot recharge
- is not refillable
To be reuseable, a vape must have a:
- rechargeable battery
- refillable container that holds the vaping e-liquid (such as a chamber, capsule, cartridge, pod or tank)
- removable and replaceable coil (if the vape contains a coil)
Do I need to offer a vape take back scheme?
Vapes are electrical items, whether they are single-use or reuseable. This means they are covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.
If you sell vapes (are a ‘distributor’), you must offer a ‘take back’ service. This means you must accept vapes and vape parts (such as used pods, coils or batteries) that customers return for recycling.
This includes any single-use vapes returned by customers after the ban begins on 1 June 2025.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards may take action against you if you do not have a way to safely recycle vapes and vape parts.
Unsafe storage of vapes or improper disposal is a fire risk. Vapes should be disposed of in vape bins only and regularly collected for recycling.
What do I do with leftover stock of single-use vapes?
You cannot sell or supply any single-use vapes to customers from 1 June 2025. You must arrange for any leftover stock to be recycled.
If you have vape bin services, you should recycle vapes through the company they provide. You may need to pay a fee.
You put your business at risk of commercial loss and legal enforcement action if you do not responsibly recycle single-use vape stocks by 1 June 2025.
To prepare for the ban, you should:
- stop buying new stock of single-use vapes
- sell through all existing stock
- buy vapes that follow the new regulations
If you have any leftover single-use vapes, from 1 June 2025 you need to:
- separate them from other goods
- label them as unsellable
- remove them from your shop floor or online store until they are collected by a registered vape recycling service
What are the refill requirements for reusable vapes?
Reusable vapes can be refillable by either:
- filling up the tank or cartridge with e-liquid
- inserting new, pre-filled pods
Refills (pods or e-liquid refill bottles) should be separately available for users to buy.
What are the coil requirements for reusable vapes?
Some reusable vapes have a coil (which produces heat and vaporises the e-liquid). If there is a coil, it must be removable and replaceable by the vape user.
Reusable vapes can have coils that are either:
- directly removable and replaceable
- contained in a removable and replaceable pod or cartridge
The coil (whether part of a replacement pod or tank, or not) should be separately available to buy.
I’m not sure if a vape is reusable
It is your responsibility to check the products you sell or supply are legal and meet the definition of a reusable vape.
Check the definitions of single-use and reusable vapes first. If you’re still not sure a vape is reusable, you can contact your local Trading Standards for advice.
How do I provide evidence during inspections?
You must assist the enforcing authority and provide any information or evidence they ask for during an inspection.
You must be able to:
- provide evidence that the product is legal and reusable, and of the steps you took to check
- demonstrate that vape users can separately buy individual refill items for the vaping items you stock (including pods or e-liquid refill bottles) – such as by providing these items in your shop or online store
You have a legal right to ask enforcement and regulatory officers for formal photographic identification (ID). This usually includes their name and the local authority and department they work for.
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