Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Disposable vape ban hits stocks, divides experts

Disposable vape ban hits stocks, divides experts
Photo: iStock
Getty Images

Britain's plan to ban disposable vapes hit some e-cigarette stocks and drew a mixed reaction from experts on Monday, with some concerned it could hurt efforts to stem the death and disease caused by cigarettes.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said single-use vapes had driven an increase in youth vaping in the country, with the government citing figures showing the number of children using vapes had tripled over the past three years.


Other countries, like France, have already flagged plans to ban disposables but unlike elsewhere, Britain's government has put vaping at the core of its efforts to reduce smoking including previously announcing a scheme to hand out free vape kits to smokers looking to quit.

Shares in vaping company Chill Brands had collapsed 29 per cent by 1505 GMT on Monday. Supreme PLC, which also sells disposable vapes, initially fell almost 10 per cent before recovering to stand 7 per cent higher.

Supreme did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chill Brands said it would accelerate plans to bring a non-disposable vape to market, and that single-use vapes played an important role in helping people to quit smoking.

Researchers have found disposable vapes are widely used. One study published this month found that some 1.2 million current UK smokers use disposable vapes, as well as 744,000 former smokers.

"A ban could have substantial unintended consequences for these groups," said Sarah Jackson, principal research fellow at University College London's Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group and lead author of the study.

It could discourage smokers from switching completely to vaping, which is less harmful, or trigger a relapse among those who have quit with the help of disposables, she continued.

Caitlin Notley, professor of addiction sciences at Norwich Medical School in the University of East Anglia, said the focus should remain on reducing smoking, as it is uniquely deadly.

But the government's move was backed by Mike McKean, vice president for policy at The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, who said bold action was needed to curb youth vaping.

"The research and data around widespread e-cigarette use is still very much in its infancy," he said, adding the long-term health impacts, especially for young people, are not known.

(Reuters)

More for you

InPost launches Locker Shops in key urban areas

InPost launches Locker Shops in key urban areas

InPost, the leading provider of parcel locker solutions, has announced the next phase in its rapid expansion with the opening of new Locker Shops in key urban areas. Following the success of its first Locker Shop in Camden, InPost is accelerating its Locker Shop opening programme and targeting hyper urban areas where there is huge demand for its lockers to provide greater access to its parcel locker network.

Kicking off with new locations in London, including Liverpool Street and London Bridge in 2024, as well as Manchester and further London locations from 2025 as part of a strategic rollout.

Keep ReadingShow less
Britvic growth in annual revenue and profits

Strong numbers for Britvic

Britvic, the soft drinks manufacturer set to be acquired by Carlsberg, has posted robust annual results after investment in marketing and product innovation helped it maintain demand for its brands.

Over the year to Sept 30, the company’s pre-tax profits climbed 10.5 per cent to £173.2 million despite a £21.3m hit related to the proposed Carlsberg deal. Britvic stated that its growth was driven by both volume and price-mix, with strong demand for brands such as Pepsi, Tango, Lipton, MiWadi and Ballygowan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Met Police identifies four suspects in Post Office Horizon scandal

Met Police identifies four suspects in Post Office Horizon scandal

The Metropolitan Police has identified two new suspects in its investigation into possible criminal offences as part of the Post Office Horizon scandal. This takes the total number of individuals to four as the force also revealed it believes more suspects will be identified as the inquiry progresses.

Scotland Yard said members of the investigation team met with Sir Alan Bates, the leading Post Office campaigner, and fellow victims to update them on the development.

Keep ReadingShow less
Discover Britain's top hotspots for independent shops

(Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

Discover Britain's top hotspots for independent shops

New research by American Express Shop Small reveals the nation’s top 10 hotspots for independent shops, showcasing the small businesses and the valuable role they plan in their local communities.

American Express partnered with retail experts GlobalData to identify the top high streets for independent shops through ranking factors such as the number of independent outlets, variety of business types, and vibrancy of the high street.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Walkable high streets boost economy'
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Getty Images

'Walkable high streets boost economy'

Shoppers who walk and wheel spend more than those arriving by car, states a recent report, demonstrating the significant economic and social benefits of investing in walkable town centres, challenging traditional views on urban accessibility.

The findings published in third edition of "The Pedestrian Pound Report", recently published by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, come at a critical juncture for British high streets, with a record number of retail failures in 2022 and a vacancy rate of nearly one in seven by the end of 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less