Haypp Investigates: Nearly 1 in 4 UK Shops Still Selling Disposable Vapes

• 23% of shops tested still offered disposable vapes, despite the ban.
• Non-compliance peaked in Glasgow and London.
• Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, and Manchester showed full compliance.
• Independent vape outlets were the worst offenders, but one major convenience chain was also implicated.

Findings from our 2024 Vape Report and customer surveys have previously indicated widespread uncertainty among vape users about which alternative products they could transition to after the disposables ban on 1 June.  

Every sign suggested that disposable vape users would continue to try to buy these products, despite the UK-wide ban. 

To test this, Haypp commissioned an independent mystery shopping company to investigate whether retailers were still selling disposable vapes, despite the recent ban.  

The results indicated that our hunch was correct.

This national project involved hiring mystery shoppers to visit 48 different shops across nine UK cities. The shops ranged from independent vape stores and corner shops to large retailers, with the visits taking place between 2-6 June. 

The findings were disappointing, but not surprising.  

In total, 11 out of the 48 shops checked (23%) were still selling disposable vapes. Glasgow and London were the worst offenders, with 4 of the 6 shops visited in these cities willing to sell a disposable vape to the mystery shopper. Birmingham, Nottingham, and Sheffield also had shops willing to sell disposables.  

By contrast, none of the shops visited in Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, or Manchester sold a disposable vape to the shoppers.

While it was mostly independent vape stores that were in breach of the ban, one local outlet of a major national convenience store chain in Birmingham sold a disposable vape to a mystery shopper.  

Some retailers said they would sell disposable vapes, but only by the box, not individually. Other shops would accept cash only and would not provide a receipt.  

Probably the most concerning element of these results is that the shops tested were not back alley or underground stores. Instead, all these shops had an online profile and were what could be described as high-street stores.

Given the small number of shops examined in the study, it is not unreasonable to imagine that the actual number of retailers selling disposable vapes could be much higher. 

As such, we anticipate that this ban will prove a real challenge when it comes to enforcement by the authorities.  

Education is half the battle here, and educating vapers as to their alternatives is key to changing habits. Haypp has already taken the first steps with practical guides that aid vapers in navigating life after the ban.  

Moving forward, it is possible to ensure a shift towards safer and more compliant nicotine alternatives—by a stronger policing of retailers, coupled with straightforward and practical advice for vapers.