Most Brits cannot correctly identify an illegal vape when shown images of one and fail to spot a crucial tell-tale sign that marks a vape as illegal, find a recent survey.
In an exclusive survey of 1,000 adult nicotine consumers across the UK, übbs discovered that over two thirds of Brits cannot correctly identify an illegal vape when shown images of one. Perhaps most concerning, 88 per cent of respondents failed to spot a crucial tell-tale sign that marks a vape as illegal and 18 per cent would knowingly purchase illicit vapes.
übbs surveyed 1,000 adult nicotine consumers across major cities including Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester and London to understand how well the public can identify illegal vaping products.
Despite more than half of respondents feeling confident they could spot an illegal vape, only 32% correctly identified one when shown images. This stark contrast between confidence and actual knowledge highlights a significant problem as counterfeit and non-compliant vapes continue to flood the UK market.
The research uncovered notable regional variations, with Northern Ireland performing better than Scotland, Wales, and England at identifying illegal vapes. Sheffield emerged as a standout city, with 64% of respondents correctly identifying illegal vapes - double the UK average of 32 per cent.
Young adults aged 18-24 were the least likely to spot an illegal vape, with only 16% correctly identifying one from images. This is particularly concerning as this age group represents a significant portion of vaping consumers.
Legal vapes must have health warning labels covering at least 30 per cent of both the front and back of the packaging. If the warnings are smaller, missing, or only on one side, the vape is likely illegal.
In the UK, it's illegal to sell vapes with e-liquid tanks larger than 2ml. If a pre-filled vape claims to offer more than 600 puffs, it almost certainly exceeds this legal limit. The exception to this is with a 10+2 device. These devices consist of a battery, a 2ml prefilled pod and a 10ml pre-filled "refill container" that attaches to the pod.
Legal vapes in the UK cannot contain nicotine concentrations above 20mg/ml. Any product advertising higher nicotine levels is illegal.
While not illegal in themselves, excessively bright packaging or designs that appeal to children often indicate non-compliant products that haven't passed UK regulations.
Legal vapes must display:
- Ingredients list in English
- Nicotine content clearly stated
- Batch number and expiry date
- Manufacturer contact details
- UK or EU regulatory markings
Key warning signs include:
- Labels covering less than 30% of packaging
- Tank sizes over 2ml
- Nicotine concentration above 20mg/ml (2%)
- Missing health warnings or ingredients list
- Single-use disposable format (now banned)