The Disposables Ban is Imminent

The disposables ban will apply to all retailers and single-use products in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In February, the government warned retailers to begin winding down their stocks of disposable vapes and not to place refreshment orders.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has reminded retailers of their responsibilities when it comes to vape recycling. Since the start of 2024, retailers who sell vapes have been required to provide a takeback service for customers on a minimum of a ‘one for one’ basis (a customer can return a vape when they purchase a new one). The DEFRA guidance clarifies that if a retailer sells vapes, they must offer a ‘take-back’ service where they accept vapes and vape parts which includes any single-use vapes returned by customers after the introduction of the ban on June 1st. The WEEE regulations state that this take-back service must be provided on a minimum of a one-for-one basis.

Anyone selling disposable vapes from June 1st, 2025, could be subject to a £200 fixed penalty notice, followed by further enforcement action if the illegal activity continues.

What about leftover disposable, single-use vapes stock?

The Association of Convenience Stores has advised its members to stop buying new stock immediately, sell through their existing stock, and only replace sales with products that will conform to the regulations post-June 1.

If retailers have unsold disposables after the ban comes into force, they need to separate them from legal products, remove them from the shop floor and website, and mark them as not for sale. The products should be disposed of through a registered vape recycling service.

James Lowman, the chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores said: “The introduction of the disposable vape ban is one of the biggest regulatory changes for retailers in recent memory, with businesses needing to think carefully about how they manage their range of vaping products in the coming months to ensure they’re ready for 1 June. We urge all retailers to utilise our guide and get in touch if there are products they’re not sure about.”

• ACS’ Assured Advice on Selling Vapes Responsibly is available here: https://www.acs.org.uk/advice/selling-vapes
• The ACS poster for retailers to display in store, communicating the ban to customers, is available here: https://cdn.acs.org.uk/public/ACS%20Disposable%20Vapes%20Ban%202025%20A4%20Poster.pdf

Kate Pike, lead officer for vaping and tobacco at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “We encourage businesses to take proactive steps now to prepare for 1 June. We expect full compliance from that date and look forward to working together with retailers to ensure a smooth transition. Our priority is supporting responsible businesses, but we will take necessary action against non-compliance where required.”

Further advice and information can be found at:

• Association of Convenience Stores Selling Vapes Responsibly
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) guidance
• Scottish Grocers’ Federation guide
• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
• Independent British Vape Trade Association
• UK Vaping Industry Association

Photo Credit:

• Banner image created using the ACS poster

Dave Cross

Journalist at POTV

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Dave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.