UK Vape Tax Adds £2.20 Per 10ml of E-Liquid Starting Thursday

A new tax on vaping products took effect Thursday in the United Kingdom, adding £2.20 to the cost of every 10ml of e-liquid sold, according to BBC News. The Vaping Product Duty applies to all vaping liquids regardless of nicotine content, and tobacco duty rose the same day by £2.20 per 100 cigarettes or 50 grams of tobacco.

How much more will a vape cost?

The duty adds £2.20 for every 10ml of e-liquid, HMRC confirmed to the BBC. The charge covers nicotine and non-nicotine liquids alike, so disposable vapes, refill pods and bottled e-liquid are all affected once the duty applies.

When will shoppers actually see higher prices?

Not right away. Retailers have been given six months to sell existing stock at pre-duty prices, the BBC reported, meaning shelves stocked before Thursday can still be sold at the old cost during that window. Shops that received new stock after the duty took effect will have to charge the higher rate immediately.

Staff at one shop told the BBC that customers had already been buying extra before the tax kicked in. Jordan Apap, a sales assistant at Berkshire Vapers, said the new duty would "put a lot of strain on legitimate vape shops" that offer more specialist advice than convenience stores and phone shops that also sell vapes.

Why is the government raising vape and tobacco taxes now?

The stated goal is to make vaping less affordable and less appealing to children and young people, the BBC reported, citing growing evidence of health risks tied to youth vaping. Health Minister Karin Smyth said the measures are "an important step in our ambition to tackle youth vaping by reducing the affordability of vaping products, which goes hand-in-hand with the work we are already doing to tackle the appeal and availability of vapes on our high streets."

HMRC said raising tobacco duty alongside the vape tax is meant to preserve the financial incentive for smokers to switch to vaping rather than cigarettes, even as vape prices climb. James Murray, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said the policy is about "backing all those retailers who play by the rules."

The vaping industry has pushed back, arguing to the BBC that affordable vapes help smokers quit and that higher prices could undercut that path. The BBC's reporting did not include a specific industry spokesperson by name, but noted the sector has lobbied against the duty on those grounds.

What do vapers in Reading say about the price increase?

Reactions were mixed among vapers the BBC spoke with in Reading. Mackenzie Bird, 19, who has vaped regularly for three years, said she was "fine" with the duty and did not think it would change her habit. "I don't know how many people it'll actually deter," she said. "I'll probably just stock up."

Others were less certain they would keep vaping at the new price. Cara Lewis-Rimes said she expects the cost increase, combined with the broader cost of living, will push vapers to cut back. Dylan Killner said the tax might be enough to make him quit altogether, telling the BBC, "I don't think it's doing me any favours... the health factor around it as well is not great."

What else is changing for vape shops and sellers?

Starting in April, HMRC will require every vaping product sold in the UK to carry a new traceability stamp, part of an effort to track products through the supply chain and crack down on illegal sales, according to the BBC. Illicit vape sales have become a growing problem on UK high streets, the broadcaster reported.

Separately, the prime minister last month announced new planning powers for local councils aimed at addressing high street decline, including limits tied to the number of vape shops. Under the changes to planning law in England, any new shop selling e-cigarettes or vapes will need council permission to open, the BBC reported.

What should vape shoppers do before prices change?

Consumers who want to avoid the increase in the short term can look for stores still selling pre-duty stock, which retailers are allowed to do for six months under the transition rules described by the BBC. After that window closes, the £2.20-per-10ml duty will apply across the board, regardless of when a product was manufactured.

For now, the practical effect depends on where a shopper buys and how much old inventory a retailer has left. The BBC's reporting indicates prices will converge upward once that six-month grace period runs out next spring, around the same time the new product-tracing stamp becomes mandatory.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.