Single-use disposable vapes were banned in the United Kingdom on 1 June 2025, changing the vaping industry in the UK and transforming many small businesses in the process. Although there are few reports of vape stores closing as a direct result of the ban, shop owners reported weekly sales decreases as high as £5 million after the ban was enacted.
Nevertheless, the UK government felt that the disposable vape ban was necessary in order to protect the environment and ensure the health and stability of the vaping industry as a whole – and in the long run, the industry is only expected to continue growing.
So, how have the vape stores in the UK responded to the disposable vape ban? Thanks to massive growth in the total selection of products, it’s turned out that the ban hasn’t really been such a terrible thing after all.
Product Selections Have Expanded
Before the ban, it was increasingly getting to the point where a vape store felt more like a disposable vape store because disposable vapes represented the vast majority of what most shops stocked. Since consumers generally had little interest in trying anything else, vape shops reduced their inventories of refillable vapes and bottled e-liquids to make room for as many disposable vapes as possible.
Now, the pendulum has begun to swing in the other direction.
In the four months since the ban, vape shops have responded by becoming better-rounded establishments with wider and more varied product selections. When you enter a vape store today, you’re likely to find a large selection of refillable vapes in all sizes and types ranging from tiny pod vapes to full-sized vape mods along with a wide range of bottled e-liquids. You’ll also find an entirely new product category called big puff vapes, which we’ll discuss at greater length in a moment.
The disposable vape ban has also been transformative for the manufacturing side of the vaping industry. Makers have responded to the increased demand for refillable vapes by developing an ever-widening selection of devices ranging from simple puff-activated vapes to more powerful devices with advanced features like touch-sensitive colour displays. The new product boom has helped to solidify the UK’s position as a global vape hub.
Revenue Distribution Has Changed
One of the most profound changes that vape stores have experienced as a result of the disposable vape ban is that they now earn their revenue in different intervals. Although the profit margins for all types of vaping products sold in the UK are roughly the same, the prices are very different.
- When people use disposable vapes, they spend roughly the same amount each time they stock up on vapes, and they do so at predictable intervals. A vape shop owner could look forward to a repeat customer coming in to buy a new vape every few days at a price of around £5-7 each.
- When people use refillable vapes, on the other hand, the distribution of spending is different because most of the money is paid up front. A typical refillable vape kit costs around £20-25 and requires e-liquid every few days. A bottle of vape juice, however, only costs about £2-4. Refillable vapes also require replacement coils or pods, which typically last about a week each.
Although the change in revenue distribution isn’t problematic for most vape stores, it does require a bit of planning since e-liquid sales bring in relatively small amounts of revenue at a time compared to bigger-ticket vape kits.
Vape Stores Have Become Important Educational Resources
One of the biggest changes in vape stores since the disposable vape ban was enacted is that it’s become more important than ever for vape shop employees to be knowledgeable about the products they’re selling. That’s a return to what things were like when vaping was still new and smokers wanted to understand what it was all about.
Many people stocked up on disposable vapes before the ban took effect, but their supplies are running out now. Although the ban has been in place for four months, vape shops still have customers coming in with questions about what refillable vapes are available, how the different devices work, how their choices will affect their long-term costs and much more.
When disposable vapes were available, buying a vape was basically just about choosing a flavour. Now, it’s much more than that – and it’s not always easy to find reliable information online about how to buy and use a refillable vape. Providing personalised information is crucial because it can make the difference in whether the customer has a satisfying experience and thus becomes a repeat buyer. It has become critical for vape stores to hire employees who actually understand how the products work.
The New Big Puff Product Category Has Emerged
One of the biggest changes to the vaping industry in the UK since the disposable vape ban is the emergence of an entirely new product category. Big puff vapes look like disposable vapes and are nearly as easy to use, but they’re completely legal and are extremely popular among those switching from disposable vapes to refillable devices.
Although a big puff vape looks and works like a disposable vape, it’s an entirely different device because the e-liquid is stored in one or more replaceable containers. Each container has a built-in coil, so a big puff vape fulfils all three requirements for a legal vape in the UK. It’s rechargeable, it’s refillable and the coil is replaceable. As an added bonus, a big puff vape has the ability to deliver thousands of puffs before running out of e-liquid – that’s the reason for the name “big puff.”
The big puff vape is a completely new type of vaping device that’s available only in the United Kingdom and Europe, and it’s helped to make this region of the world a centre of innovation for the vaping industry. It’s also the type of vape that you’re most likely to buy if you’re new to vaping or are buying your first refillable vape.
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