UK vape retailer VPZ is seeking clarity after a health minister acknowledged - during the Report Stage of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill - that some manufacturers are developing products designed to circumvent UK vape regulations.
Speaking in the House of Lords last night (3 March), Baroness Merron, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health & Social Care, said: “Under the Tobacco & Related Products Regulations 2016, vaping products are already limited to two millilitres for tanks and 10 for refill containers.
“Over recent years, some manufacturers have developed devices where multiple refill containers can be attached to a single device as a means of circumventing the legislative requirements and restrictions.”
The remarks suggest the Government is aware that high-capacity or so-called “big puff” devices are being designed and imported in ways that undermine existing UK law.
However, while recognising the scale of the issue, the debate did not outline any immediate new enforcement measures or actions specifically aimed at stopping these products entering the UK market.
VPZ explained that the Tobacco & Related Products Regulations of 2016 set clear limits on tank and refill container sizes. Devices engineered to attach multiple refill containers in order to bypass those limits undermine the intention of the law and the integrity of the regulated market, while also contributing to concerns around youth vaping.
Although these devices are designed to appear reusable, many are in practice used and discarded as single-use products, undermining the environmental and public health aims of the disposable vape ban introduced last summer.
During the debate, several members of the House of Lords stressed that tackling the illicit and non-compliant vape market should be a priority. They argued that stronger enforcement against illegal imports is essential both to protect consumers and to ensure responsible retailers who follow the rules are not placed at a disadvantage.
For legitimate vape retailers and customers, this issue highlights an ongoing challenge in the UK market: ensuring products sold to consumers meet the country’s safety and regulatory standards.
Jamie Strachan, operations director at VPZ, said: “If Ministers are openly acknowledging in parliament that manufacturers are designing products to circumvent UK regulations, the obvious question is: why are they not acting to stop it?
“The limits on tank and refill sizes are clearly set out in law. If those are being deliberately sidestepped through product design, the Government should move swiftly to close the loophole and ban these devices outright.
“Responsible retailers are complying with the rules and investing heavily to ensure full regulatory compliance. It’s deeply frustrating to see gaps remain unaddressed when the issue has clearly been recognised at ministerial level.”
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