Since the June 1 disposable vape ban started, 85% of the UK’s disposable users now use reusables. Photo credit: SmileSmith25, CC4.0.
Roughly three months after the UK introduced a ban on disposable vapes, the UK vape market has shifted fast.
Brands once defined by quick-use kits are rapidly adapting to a new landscape. Early consumer research suggests that the transition from disposables to reusable devices has been more widespread than many expected—though it has not come without unintended consequences.
A July survey of 6,000 UK vapers and smokers conducted by Opinium for Elfbar shows that 85% of regular disposable users have switched to reusables since the June 1, 2025 ban came into effect. Among the 1.5 million adults now using Elfbar and Lost Mary reusables at least weekly, 84% said they are purchasing refills, underscoring that the devices are being used as intended. Only 8% said they buy a new kit each time, effectively treating the products as disposables.
For those who switched, the top reasons were similar price (33%), familiar design (31%), ease of use (30%), similar quality (30%), and sustainability (26%). This close resemblance to the banned disposables has made the transition relatively smooth.
The survey also highlighted challenges. One in four (26%) single-use vapers reported that the ban pushed them either back to smoking, to increased tobacco use, or to illegal vapes. In fact, 26% of current vapers admitted knowingly purchasing illicit products, and 22% were aware of illegal vapes being sold locally in the past three months.
Loopholes have added to the problem. While domestic sale of disposables is banned, imports remain legal if products are re-exported, creating opportunities for illicit diversion. Nearly two-thirds of UK adults (64%) surveyed believe this loophole should be closed.
Another notable outcome is consumer awareness of disposal. Seventy-seven percent of reusable users said they know pods and depleted devices should not go into household waste. Many are acting on that: 37% collect used devices for recycling points, 23% return them to designated locations, and 16% bring them back to stores. Yet 18% still throw them in home bins, 18% in public bins, and 12%reported trying to recycle in-store but finding no bin available.
With more than 10,000 vape recycling points already in place, critics say access remains patchy. Over half of respondents (52%) want more collection points in accessible locations, while 49% believe all retailers should be obliged to provide in-store recycling.
Flavors remain central to keeping smokers away from tobacco. Fifty-seven percent of vapers opt for fruit or sweet flavors, and 63% said variety helps them avoid relapse. An ASH survey this summer warned that restricting flavors to tobacco, mint, or menthol could drive 770,000 adult vapers back to smoking.
The research reinforces vaping’s importance in smoking cessation. Half of current or recent ex-smokers have used vapes to quit in the past 5 years, more than double the share who relied on nicotine patches (22%) or gum (20%). Among successful quitters in the past 2 years, 62% said e-cigarettes played a role.
Despite the evidence, public perceptions are moving in the opposite direction. Fifty-one percent of adults now believe vaping is as harmful, or more harmful, than smoking—a 9-point increase since late 2024. ASH and industry voices warn that these misconceptions could deter smokers from switching to a less harmful alternative.
The UK’s relative success contrasts with patchier experiences abroad. The difference lies in execution. The UK applied a clear legal test—if a device is not both rechargeable and refillable, it is illegal—combined with simple retailer guidance and the quick launch of reusable lookalike products.
Elsewhere, the picture is more uneven. Belgium, which banned disposables in January, has struggled with widespread violations and illicit sales in schools. France’s rollout has been gradual, creating transitional uncertainty and gray-market risks. New Zealand’s disposable definition is more complex, and the government recently revoked a separate removable-battery rule after litigation, confusing both consumers and enforcers. Australia’s pharmacy-only model has coincided with a booming black market, with more than 10 million illicit devices seized since 2024.
Industry figures, including Elfbar’s UK director of government affairs Eve Peters, argue that further policy steps are needed: closing the re-export loophole, introducing a licensing scheme for vape retailers with mandatory recycling take-back, and adopting a national anti-illicit trade strategy.
“The findings show progress, but also spotlight challenges,” Peters said. “Supported by the right policy measures, we can help more smokers switch to less harmful alternatives and keep the UK on track to achieve its smokefree goals.”