Key Summary
- VPZ issues strong rebuke to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over dropped alcohol advertising restrictions
- The vape retailer highlights disparity in treatment between alcohol and vaping industries
- VPZ calls for clear explanation from government on decision to backtrack on alcohol advertising restrictions
Vape retailer VPZ has issued a strong rebuke to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer following the government’s decision to drop proposed restrictions on alcohol advertising.
In an open letter sent on 4 July, VPZ’s operations director Jamie Strachan expressed “deep disappointment” at what the company described as a “confusing message” on public health policy.
The move comes after the publication of the government’s ‘10 Year Health Plan for England: Fit for the Future’, which confirmed that plans to restrict alcohol advertising have been shelved in favour of new labelling standards. The U-turn reportedly followed backlash from the drinks industry and concerns that a ban could jeopardise UK-US trade relations.
In the letter, VPZ criticised the government's approach to public health regulation, pointing out the disparity between how the alcohol and vaping industries are treated. “Each year in the UK, over 10,000 people die from alcohol-related causes,” wrote Strachan. “Despite these figures, the alcohol industry continues to enjoy broad and prominent advertising privileges.”
By contrast, Strachan noted, the vaping industry – despite being endorsed by Public Health England and the NHS as a safer alternative to smoking – faces “increasing regulation, scrutiny, and public messaging that we feel is both disproportionate and misdirected.”
“To date, there have been zero confirmed deaths caused by vaping products,” the letter states. “VPZ has always adhered to the highest standards of compliance and responsibility, with a mission focused on helping adult smokers make a positive change for their health.”
Strachan called on the prime minister to provide a “clear explanation” as to why his government had chosen to backtrack on alcohol advertising restrictions while continuing to tighten rules around vaping. He warned that such an approach “undermines harm reduction strategies and risks fuelling a public health backslide.”
The letter ends with an offer to engage with government officials to “discuss how responsible vaping can continue to play a role in reducing smoking-related harm across the UK.”
The government’s decision to drop the proposed alcohol advertising restrictions has drawn criticism from health campaigners, but was welcomed by industry figures. Ministers are now expected to focus on tougher labelling rules, including possible cancer warnings on alcoholic drinks, following the model introduced by Ireland.