- Vapers misusing pod kits like disposables.
- Costs soar to £2.2k a year vs £736.
- Vape sales drop £5m post-ban
Ban on disposable vapes, that came into effect on June 1, has unintentionally led to a concerning trend among consumers, warned an expert, stating that many vapers are using 'prefilled pod' kits in a manner akin to disposables.
Prefilled pod vape kits come with rechargeable and reusable battery and device, compatible with replacement pods. The consumer only needs to buy the device once, then replace the pods as and when they run out.
However, an industry expert has claimed that many consumers are purchasing 5-10 devices at once and throwing the device away when the pod runs out just as they would have done with disposable vape kits.
"This shift raises significant issues on several fronts," Saif Khan - Director at online retailer WizVape said.
Lithium-ion batteries contain harmful materials which can leach into the environment if not disposed of properly.
Khan added, "By treating these kits as disposables, consumers are exacerbating the issue of electronic waste, which is already a pressing problem in the UK: indeed, this was a driving force in the ban on disposable vapes in the first place.
"The increase in waste generated from discarded batteries and plastic components further strains our already burdened landfill sites.
“The overall waste generated from this practice is detrimental to the government's efforts toward promoting sustainable consumption.
"Instead of moving towards a more eco-friendly approach with reusable systems, consumers are inadvertently contributing to a growing problem of waste and pollution.
“It is crucial that we address these issues and seek solutions that encourage responsible vaping practices through consumer education. We are trying to educate consumers on the impact this mistake can have, both on their wallets and the planet.”
When looking at the yearly cost of using prefilled pod kits, the difference in consumer behaviour makes a big impact. A typical kit costs between £5 and £25. If someone buys a £15 device once and then sticks to buying pods at £7 a pack for the rest of the year, their total spend comes to around £736.
But if a consumer uses prefilled pod kits like disposable vapes, buying five new devices a month, the yearly cost shoots up to £2,220.
Khan's warning comes weeks after an industry data reported that convenience stores lost "over £5 million of sales" within the vaping category in a week after the ban came into effect while over £1 million worth of illegal vape sales were still taking place.
According to Convenience Data UK (CD:UK), powered by Talysis, before the ban, the vapes category (disposables, kits, pods, etc.) was worth approximately £23 million per week in UK convenience stores. In the week ending June 8, sales totaled just £17.8 million, a drop of over £5 million.
