A July 2025 Opinium survey of 6,000 UK vape users and smokers revealed that after the ban on disposable vapes, 85% of regular users switched to reusable devices, with the majority purchasing refills. However, the ban also had unintended consequences: 26% of disposable users relapsed, increased tobacco use, or purchased illegal products.
Key Points:
- The ban drove a shift: 85% of regular vape users switched to reusable devices, and 84% of the 1.5 million users of brands like Elfbar purchased refills.
- The ban also had side effects: 26% of disposable users relapsed, increased tobacco use, or purchased illegal vapes, with the problem of illegal products becoming prominent.
- Pain Points in Awareness and Recycling: 51% of adults mistakenly believe that the harms of vapes are equal to or greater than those of smoking; over half of respondents expressed a desire for more recycling points.
- The value of vapes in quitting smoking: 50% of smokers who have quit use vapes as an aid, and 62% of those who have successfully quit in the past two years have become dependent on them.
UK disposable vape ban investigation results report
According to Talking Retail on August 7, a July 2025 survey of 6,000 UK vape users and smokers by UK market research firm Opinium explored smoker behavior and public attitudes toward vape-related issues.
85% of users have purchased reusable vape devices
The findings further confirm the role of vapes in helping smokers quit and reflect consumer demand for more convenient recycling channels.
The survey also highlighted current challenges. Including a thriving illegal market and growing public misconceptions about vapes, which hinder smokers from switching to vapes.
The study showed that 85% of regular vape users had purchased reusable devices after the implementation of the disposable vape ban.
In the UK, 1.5 million adult vape users use reusable vapes from Elfbar and Lost Mary at least once a week, with 84% purchasing refills, indicating widespread reuse of these products. Only 8% said they would buy a new device each time and use it as a disposable.
For those who switched from disposable to reusable vapes, the main reasons included price comparability (33%), familiar design (31%), convenience (30%), and comparable quality (30%), followed by sustainability (26%).
26% of users intentionally purchased illegal disposable vapes
The survey also revealed some unintended but widely perceived consequences of the ban.
A quarter (26%) of disposable vape users said the ban caused them to either resume smoking, increase their tobacco use, or purchase illegal vapes.
The prevalence of illegal products (now including disposable vapes) remains a significant problem.
26% of current vape users admitted to intentionally purchasing illegal vapes, and over one-fifth (22%) of respondents said they knew of illegal vapes for sale in their area in the past three months.
Although disposable vapes are banned, they remain legal for re-export and import, creating a potential loophole in the policy. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of UK adults surveyed believe this loophole should be closed.
Vape recycling channels still need improvement
Public awareness of the responsible disposal of vapes is high, with 77% of reusable vape users aware that used cartridges and devices should not be thrown in the regular trash.
This is reflected in the data: 37% of respondents said they collect used devices and cartridges and take them to a recycling point; 23% take used items to a recycling center; and 16% take them back to the store where they purchased them.
However, 18% admitted to throwing them in their household trash, another 18% in public trash, and 12% said they had tried to return used items to the retailer where they purchased them but found that there were no designated trash cans.
Despite over 10,000 vape recycling points across the UK and mandatory recycling obligations for retailers, many respondents believe recycling channels remain inadequate.
Over half (52%) want more recycling points in convenient locations, and 49% want all retailers to provide in-store recycling bins.
Flavors Can Help Users Quit Smoking
The survey found that flavors remain crucial in helping people quit smoking, with 57% of vape users choosing fruity or sweet flavors, and 63% saying that a variety of flavors helps them stay away from tobacco.
A 2025 survey by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) asked vape users what they would do if vape flavors were limited to tobacco, menthol, or spearmint. 14% said they would return to smoking. Based on ASH’s estimate of 5.5 million adult vape users in the UK, this equates to 770,000 people.
50% of current smokers have used vapes to quit
The findings also highlight the role of vapes in helping people quit.
Half (50%) of current or recent ex-smokers have used vapes to quit smoking in the past five years, more than double the proportion who used nicotine patches (22%) or nicotine gum (20%). Three-fifths (62%) of smokers who successfully quit in the past two years said they used vapes during their quitting efforts.
When asked if reusable vapes helped them reduce or stop smoking, more than two-fifths (44%) of respondents said they helped a lot, while another one-fifth (21%) said they helped somewhat. This is supported by a recent ASH survey, which showed that 2 million current vape users (55%) have successfully quit using vapes.
Despite this, misconceptions about vapes continue to grow, with 51% of adults mistakenly believing that vapes are as harmful as or more harmful than smoking, a 9 percentage point increase from December 2014.
This aligns with the ASH’s July 2025 report, which also expressed concern about a sharp increase in public misconceptions.
Eve Peters, UK Government Affairs Director at Elfbar, said that people have actively switched to reusable devices, and evidence suggests that many consumers purchase refills and have some understanding of responsible waste disposal. However, the survey results also highlight several challenges that need to be addressed, including the prevalence of an illicit market and increasingly negative public perceptions of vapes, particularly among adult smokers.
- “Therefore, we support the implementation of a licensing system for vape retailers, which we believe should include mandatory in-store recycling services as a condition. We also call for a national strategy to combat illicit trade and a ban on the import of disposable vapes. With the right policy measures, we can build on recent progress, help more smokers switch to less harmful alternatives, and keep the UK on track to achieve its smoke-free goal.”
