Retailers reminded to prepare for disposable vape ban

Retailers have four months left to sell through any remaining stock and prepare for the disposable vape ban coming into force on June 1 this year, an industry body reminded retailers today (5).

After the ban comes into place, all vaping products that are available for sale legally in the UK must be both refillable and rechargeable, meaning that they must be intended for multiple uses.

To help retailers prepare for the ban, Association of Convenience Stores has created a guide backed by Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards which explains in detail how to source and sell vapes responsibly.

The guide is part of ACS' Assured Advice, which means that ACS members can rely on the guide to comply with the new regulations.

Key areas covered by the guide include:

• How to prepare for the disposable vape ban on June 1st
• Enforcement and record keeping
• Communicating to customers about the ban
• How to recognise illegitimate products and underage sales
• Vape recycling

ACS tells retailers, "If you have any remaining stock of disposable vapes, these must be stored away from the shopfloor and clearly separated from other goods, clearly labelled as not for sale."

Click here to download the Selling Vapes Responsibly guide.

ACS has also produced a poster for retailers to display in their store, communicating the ban to customers. The poster is available here.

More information about the upcoming vaping regulations will be covered in ACS' Safe & Responsible Retailing Conference, taking place next month on March 12 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has already published more detail on the definitions of single-use or disposable vapes, the penalties for selling them after the introduction of the ban on 1 June this year, and what to do if a retailer has stock of single use vapes.

DEFRA's guidance released last month is for importers, retail outlets, vaping product manufacturers and wholesalers.

This includes any shop or business that sells single-use vapes, such as a convenience store, market stall, petrol station, specialist vape shop and supermarket.