Warning issued after customers 'stockpile' disposable vapes ahead of ban

IT COMES AFTER VAPE SHOP OWNERS TOLD OF HOW THE SINGLE-USE DEVICES HAVE BEEN FLYING OFF THE SHELVES DUE TO SLASHED PRICES IN RECENT WEEKS 04:30, 31 May 2025 An urgent warning has been issued

to customers 'stockpiling' disposable vapes ahead of the nationwide ban on June 1. Vape shops have seen a surge in sales in the single-use devices, which had their prices slashed

to shift stock in recent weeks. Councils across the UK have now warned vapers of the 'potentially life-threatening dangers' of stockpiling the devices which may be stored

incorrectly and are a fire risk due to their batteries. According to new research by online nicotine retailer, Haypp, 82 per cent of disposable vape users were planning to stockpile ahead of

the ban. _JOIN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS WHATSAPP GROUP _HERE Vape shop owners, who spoke to the Manchester Evening News, said they had 'basically nothing left' after shifting

thousands of units of stock in a matter of weeks. Article continues below And stores across Greater Manchester and beyond had the cut-price devices colourfully labelled in windows, with some

even offering free disposable vapes once a certain amount had been spent or '10 for £10' deals on the likes of Elf Bars and Lost Mary devices in a bid to get rid of the surplus

stock. Darren Mason, Director at E-Vapes UK, said: "There has been a massive uptake in sales, as you can imagine. People have been stocking up. Across our 22 stores we had thousands and

thousands, and there is basically nothing left. "It was the convenience of it that appealed to kids. We are all for the ban, if it's properly enforced. But there needs to be a

deterrent. It's not just the vape shops, and the petrol stations, they need to crack down on all shops." The ban on selling or supplying disposable vapes, first revealed by the

government in January last year, applies both in shops and online and is set to be enforced from June 1. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently working its way through Parliament,

also includes powers to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavours of e-cigarettes. The sales in vapes soared in popularity in the last decade. The government said usage of

the devices grew by more than 400 per cent between 2012 and 2023. The Local Government Association (LGA) said vapers wishing to get rid of their disposable devices can return the products to

the place of purchase. Shops selling vapes are required to offer a 'take back' service where they accept vapes and vape parts that customers return for recycling, including

single-use vapes returned after the ban has come into force. The UK-wide disposable vape ban was designed to not only kerb the use of vapes, but also tackle waste and the impact of the

devices on the environment. Research carried out by not-for-profit Material Focus, released in December last year, revealed there was an estimated 8.2 million vapes being thrown away or

littered every week across the UK. Unrefillable and unable to be recharged, single-use vapes have been typically thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than

recycled, contributing to the flood of litter blighting the country. Single-use vapes are designed as one unit so batteries cannot be separated from the plastic, making them almost

impossible to recycle without going through special treatment The LGA, which represents councils and fire and rescue authorities, has now warned that the lithium batteries contained inside

disposable vapes could cause a fire and risk to life if not stored correctly. The body led calls for a ban two years ago due to environmental and health concerns. The lithium batteries

inside the plastic can sharply increase in temperature if crushed and can become flammable. Coun David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “With 8.2 million

vapes now thrown away, or recycled incorrectly, every week, single use vapes blight our streets as litter, are a hazard in our bin lorries, and are expensive and difficult to deal with in

our recycling centres. Their colours, flavours and advertising are appealing to children and are a risk to the health of young people. “We want to remind businesses to ensure all remaining

stocks of disposable vapes are sold, and only buying vapes that follow the new regulations. “If businesses have any single-use vapes in their possession after Sunday, they will not be able

to sell them to shoppers and must ensure they are stored and disposed of safely. We would also urge caution to anyone stockpiling disposable vapes. Failing to store disposable vapes

correctly could cost lives, given the significant fire risk they pose.” As part of tough enforcement measures, any rogue traders breaking the rules will be hit with a fine of £200 in the

first instance, and all products will be seized. But those who repeatedly reoffend face being slapped with an unlimited fine or jail time. A government spokesperson added: “Single-use vapes

are extremely wasteful and blight our towns and cities. That is why we are banning them as we end this nation’s throwaway culture. "The disposable ban will complement the landmark

Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is introducing tough new action to clamp down on youth vaping by introducing powers to restrict their packaging, flavours and display." --- Day in day out,

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