In 2024, the number of illegal nicotine bags seized in the UK soared by 974% year-on-year. Currently, nicotine bags lack clear advertising, strength and age restrictions, increasing the risk of exposure for minors.
Key points:
- The number of illegal nicotine bags seized in the UK has soared: The number of illegal nicotine bags seized in the UK has increased by 974% year-on-year within a year.
- The problem of regulatory gaps is prominent: Currently, there are no clear regulations on nicotine bags regarding advertising, intensity, and age restrictions, making them easily accessible to minors.
- The industry warns of black market expansion: Online retailer Vape Club points out that the black market trend is accelerating and government regulation is lagging behind. It is called for the establishment of a licensing system and the use of relevant income for border and market supervision and law enforcement.
Online retailer Vape Club data: illegal nicotine bag seizures rise 974% in UK by 2024
According to Conveniencestore’s report on April 17th, data shows that before the UK government imposed a ban on disposable vapes on June 1st, the usage rate of disposable vapes had dropped by approximately 30%, as most users turned to reusable devices.
However, while the demand for disposable products is declining, other nicotine alternatives, especially nicotine bags, are growing rapidly.
According to the request for Information Disclosure (FOI) provided by the “Trade Standards” team under several local councils in the UK, data released by the online retailer Vape Club shows that the seized illegal nicotine bags have increased by 974% year-on-year in the past year.
The problem of regulatory gaps is prominent
At present, there are no clear regulatory requirements for nicotine bags in terms of advertising, product strength, or age restrictions, which leads to an increase in the accessibility of the product among minors. Furthermore, although the current product regulations require that the nicotine content be clearly labeled along with English instructions for use and warning information, tens of thousands of products have still been seized for using foreign languages on their labels and violating the General Product Safety Regulation.
Dan Marchant, director of the Vape Club and founding member of the UK vape Industry Association (UKVIA), said,
- After illegal disposable vapes, nicotine bags seem to have become the new target of criminal gangs. We can see that once there is a lack of strong law enforcement measures, the black market will develop rapidly. This sign has already emerged in the current nicotine bag market.
Ma Chante emphasized that the government has not yet formulated effective restrictive measures regarding the sale of high-concentration nicotine bags and those under the age of 18. Currently, most legal retailers can only regulate themselves by the industry’s self-regulatory code. He called on the government to establish a licensing system for the retail and distribution of vapes and use the relevant revenue specifically for law enforcement expenditures.
