Leading vape retailer VPZ said it has written to both the UK and Scottish health secretaries to request urgent talks.
VPZ alleged that retailers across the UK continue to sell banned single-use disposable vapes, despite the government legislation that came into force on 1 June.
In the letter, the vaping specialist expressed deep concern that non-compliant, and high-capacity disposable vapes remain widely available, noting that this is undermining public health efforts, fuelling youth vaping, and the environmental impact.
The legislation was introduced to remove these devices from the market - particularly those that appeal to youths through colourful branding and high nicotine levels.
However, VPZ said it has identified dozens of retailers across the UK still selling the banned products, raising serious questions about enforcement and regulatory oversight.
“We are now past the government’s own deadline, and yet these banned products are still being sold openly in shops across the UK,” Jamie Strachan, operations director at VPZ, said.
“This is deeply frustrating and deeply concerning - not just for responsible retailers like us who have complied fully with the law, but for the wider public, especially youths who remain exposed to these illegal products and the damage they are doing to the environment.”
VPZ claimed that independent retailers are taking advantage of £200 fines, and reiterated their call for the fines to start at £10,000.
“It’s clear that without proper enforcement, this legislation is little more than words on paper. Rules only work if they’re backed by real action. Right now, that action is missing, and that undermines the government’s stated commitment to protecting public health and addressing youth vaping,” Strachan said.
