2Firsts Data｜China’s Vape-Related Exports Rose 3.3% in August 2026 as UK Shipments Jumped 51.4% and U.S. Exports Fell 12.4%

Key Points

• China’s vape-related exports reached $979 million in August, up 3.3% year over year and down 6.4% from July.
• UK-bound exports rose 51.4% to $177 million, adding $60.1 million and generating the largest increase among all destinations.
• Exports to the U.S. fell 12.4% to $339 million, a decline of $48.2 million and the largest reduction among major markets.
• Exports outside the U.S. rose 14.2%; excluding the UK as well, shipments to all other markets still increased 4.4%.

2Firsts

September 23, 2026

China’s vape-related exports continued to rise in August 2026, but the market driving that growth changed.

Exports across three vape-related customs categories reached $979 million, up 3.3% from a year earlier and down 6.4% from July, according to China Customs data released on September 18 and compiled by 2Firsts.

Exports for the first eight months of 2026 totaled $6.99 billion, an increase of 5.5% from the same period last year.

The U.S. generated about 94.9% of the year-over-year increase in July. One month later, U.S.-bound shipments declined and the UK became the largest source of growth.

UK Exports Jump 51.4% to a 2026 High

China exported $177 million of vape-related products to the UK in August, up 51.4% from a year earlier and 10.1% from July. It was the highest monthly total for the UK in 2026.

UK-bound shipments added $60.1 million from a year earlier, almost twice the $31.3 million net increase in China’s global exports. Growth in the UK offset declines in shipments to the U.S., Japan, Germany and Russia.

Both major product categories contributed:

UK-bound exports totaled $903 million in the first eight months of 2026, up 6.4% from a year earlier. Nicotine-containing products increased 29.4%, while device exports fell 9.6%. The August surge in devices has not yet erased their cumulative decline.

The customs figures do not show whether the August increase came from retail demand, inventory replenishment or a shift in purchasing schedules.

U.S. Shifts From the Largest Contributor to the Biggest Drag

Exports to the U.S. fell 12.4% year over year and 16.1% from July to $339 million. The $48.2 million decline was the largest among all destinations.

The U.S. remained China’s largest market, accounting for 34.6% of August exports.

The drop followed a sharp increase in July, when U.S.-bound shipments reached $404 million and rose 53.5% from a year earlier.

Exports to the U.S. still increased over the longer period. Shipments totaled $2.32 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 4.7%. Nicotine-containing products rose 1.3%, devices increased 10.4%, and nicotine-substitute products climbed 179.9%.

Growth Broadens Beyond the U.S.

Exports to markets outside the U.S. reached $640 million in August, up 14.2% from a year earlier.

Excluding both the U.S. and UK, shipments to all other destinations still increased 4.4%. In July, by comparison, markets outside the U.S. grew just 1.2%.

Beyond the UK, the largest increases came from South Korea, Croatia, Indonesia, Slovakia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

Exports to Japan, Germany, Russia and Poland declined. Shipments to Japan fell 44.7%, Germany dropped 24.7%, and Russia declined 34.5%.

Slovakia’s growth rate reflected a low comparison base. Customs records identify the declared destination, not the final consumer market, and do not show whether goods were subsequently distributed elsewhere in Europe.

Nicotine-Containing Products Deliver Most of the Increase

Exports of nicotine-containing vape products rose 4.9% to $666 million in August, generating nearly all of the net increase.

Device exports fell 0.7% to $299 million. Nicotine-substitute products increased 17.1% to $14.3 million.

All three categories declined from July, signaling softer monthly momentum despite the year-over-year increase.

August reversed the geographic pattern seen a month earlier. U.S. growth faded, the UK became the largest source of new exports, and shipments to markets outside the U.S. accelerated. China’s vape-related exports remain in recovery, but the markets supporting that recovery continue to shift from month to month.

Data Notes

The analysis covers HS 24041200, HS 85434000 and HS 24041990.

HS 24041990 includes non-combustible inhalation products containing nicotine substitutes. China Customs data do not disclose individual ingredients, and exports under the code cannot be treated as synonymous with products containing 6-methyl nicotine.

Customs trade partners represent declared export destinations and may not be the final consumer markets. Year-over-year comparisons are against August 2025; month-over-month comparisons are against July 2026.

Follow 2Firsts for timely updates on global tobacco and nicotine industry developments, corporate strategy and market trends.

Cover Image: China’s Vape Export Growth Shifted From the U.S. to the UK in August 2026｜visualized by 2Firsts

2FIRSTS | 2Firsts Data | China’s Vape-Related Exports Rise 16.5% in July 2026 as U.S.-Bound Shipments Jump 53.5%

China’s vape-related exports reached $1.047 billion in July 2026, up 16.5% year on year and the highest monthly total of the year. Growth was heavily concentrated in the U.S., where exports jumped 53.5% to $404 million and accounted for 94.9% of the overall increase. Exports to all other markets rose just 1.2%. By category, nicotine-containing non-combustible products—primarily vapes—under HS24041200 rose 24.7% and generated 95.5% of the total increase. Vape-device exports under HS85434000 fell 0.4%, while other nicotine-substitute products under HS24041990 grew 88.9% but remained comparatively small.

www.2firsts.com