Vape Prices Set to Climb as UK Imposes New £2.20-per-10ml Duty

Vaping in the UK is about to become more expensive, after the government introduced a fresh tax on e-liquid as part of a broader push to discourage young people from taking up the habit. The Vaping Product Duty came into force this week, applying a charge of £2.20 for every 10 millilitres of vape liquid sold. Ministers hope the higher cost will make vaping less appealing to children and teenagers, particularly as evidence mounts about the harm it can cause to younger users.

Not all shoppers will feel the pinch straight away, however. Retailers have been given a six-month grace period during which they can continue selling existing stock at the old, untaxed price. That means the full impact of the levy will only become apparent later in the year, once pre-duty inventory has been cleared from shelves.

The new duty is unusual in that it applies to all vaping products, whether or not they contain nicotine. That broad scope is intended to prevent manufacturers and sellers from sidestepping the tax by marketing nicotine-free alternatives, which have also grown in popularity among younger consumers.

Alongside the vaping levy, tobacco duties were also increased on Thursday. Smokers will now pay an extra £2.20 per 100 cigarettes, or per 50 grams of rolling tobacco. Revenue and Customs officials said the parallel rise is deliberate: it preserves the financial incentive for adults who smoke to switch to vaping, which is widely regarded as less harmful than combustible tobacco.

The government's stated goal is to reduce youth vaping by making the products pricier, combined with efforts to limit their visibility and availability on high streets. Health Minister Karin Smyth described the measures as an important step in tackling youth vaping, saying they work hand in hand with existing action on the appeal and availability of vapes in town centres.

The vaping industry has fought hard against the tax. Trade bodies argue that keeping vapes affordable is essential for helping adult smokers quit cigarettes, and warn that raising prices could push some people back towards tobacco. John Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association, called the move "nothing short of a tax on public health", insisting that vaping has helped millions of adults cut down or stop smoking altogether.

Dunne acknowledged that protecting young people matters, but argued the right response is tougher enforcement against illegal and rogue traders, rather than making legal vaping more costly for adults trying to avoid cigarettes. His position reflects a long-running tension between public health campaigners, who want to curb youth uptake, and industry figures, who emphasise vaping's role as a smoking cessation tool.

Vapers themselves appear divided on whether the tax will change behaviour. The BBC spoke to users in Reading, where opinions varied. Mackenzie Bird, 19, who has vaped regularly for three years, said she was untroubled by the duty and predicted it would not stop her. She suggested she would simply stock up instead, and questioned how many people it would genuinely deter.

Others were more responsive to the price signal. Cara Lewis-Rimes and Dylan Killner said the higher costs might make them reconsider the habit. Cara felt the changes would force vapers to cut down, especially given broader cost-of-living pressures, while Dylan said he could be inclined to quit entirely, citing concerns about the health effects of vaping.

Retailers, meanwhile, are bracing for an uncertain future. Jordan Apap, a sales assistant at Berkshire Vapers, said the tax would place serious strain on legitimate specialist shops, which offer advice and services that convenience stores and phone shops selling vapes typically do not. He warned there is a genuine risk such businesses could disappear within a year or two, echoing wider fears about the future of dedicated vape outlets.

The government is also tightening controls on the supply chain. HMRC is introducing a stamp for vaping products that can be traced from manufacturer to retailer, and from April all vapes sold in the UK must carry it. Officials say the stamp will help crack down on illicit trade, which has become an increasingly visible problem on British high streets.

That enforcement effort forms part of a wider strategy. Last month the prime minister announced new powers for councils aimed at reversing high street decline, including concerns about the sheer number of vape shops. Under changes to planning law in England, any new shop intending to sell e-cigarettes will have to apply to its local authority for permission to open. James Murray, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said the government was backing retailers who play by the rules.

Public health experts continue to stress that vaping is substantially safer than smoking, though not risk-free, and that the long-term consequences remain unclear. A recent review of vaping studies linked the habit to problems among children and young people, including wheezing and coughing, poor oral and dental health, disrupted sleep, mental health difficulties and eye symptoms. The NHS advises that children and non-smokers should never vape.

The coming months will reveal whether higher prices succeed where awareness campaigns have struggled. For specialist retailers, the concern is survival; for the Treasury, the hope is that a combination of cost, stamps and planning restrictions will reduce youth uptake without undoing vaping's role as a smoking substitute for adults.