Three months on from the UK’s ban on disposable vapes, most users are transitioning smoothly to prefilled pod kits, according to new data from retailer Ninja Vapes.
While earlier research from Yorkshire Cancer Research suggested nearly one in five disposable vape users could return to tobacco after the ban, Ninja Vapes’ customer survey shows otherwise. Almost nine in ten (89.4 per cent) respondents said they had not considered going back to cigarettes – a result that will be welcomed by public health campaigners and policymakers alike.
Spending levels also remain steady. Around 45 per cent of customers reported no change in their outlay, while 40.6 per cent said they were spending less thanks to the lower running costs of pod systems. Satisfaction appears high, with 81 per cent citing cost-effectiveness and longer-lasting performance as their top reasons for switching. Only 5 per cent described pod kits as difficult to use, countering concerns about barriers to adoption.
The shift is also reshaping shopping patterns. Before the ban, 26.9 per cent of customers purchased weekly, a figure that has since fallen to 13 per cent. Conversely, bulk ordering at the end of the month rose from 41.3 per cent to 59.4 per cent, reflecting new buying patterns in the post-disposable era.
“Our findings show that vapers are embracing the change to prefilled pod kits, with many actually benefiting from lower costs and longer-lasting products,” said Mohmed Patel, Director at Ninja Vapes. “This transition not only supports the government’s waste reduction goals but also helps keep people away from cigarettes.”