Sale and Supply of Single-Use E-cigarettes Illegal from June 1st, 2025
The final countdown has begun for disposable vapes in the UK, with less than a month remaining until a nationwide ban on their sale and supply takes effect on June 1, 2025. This significant regulatory change targets single-use e-cigarettes due to pressing environmental concerns and the products' perceived appeal to children.
Authorities cite the massive environmental waste generated by disposables – millions discarded weekly, often improperly – and the fire risks posed by their lithium batteries in waste streams as key reasons for the ban. Additionally, the brightly coloured packaging and sweet flavours are seen as contributing factors to rising youth vaping rates.
From June 1st, it will be illegal for any business (retail, wholesale, online) to sell, supply, or possess single-use vapes for sale. To be considered reusable and remain legal, a vape must be both rechargeable and refillable. Guidance also suggests a replaceable coil might be necessary. Popular disposable brands like Elf Bar and Lost Mary will fall under the ban.
Retailers, like those warned by Bolton Council, must remove all banned stock, including from stockrooms, by the deadline or face seizure, fines, or prosecution. Users will not be penalized for possessing or using disposables bought before the ban, but purchasing new ones legally will be impossible. The MHRA notified products list will be updated post-ban to reflect only compliant reusable devices.
