According to The Grocer, on March 26th, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) warned that if disposable e-cigarettes are banned in the UK next year, illegal trading could see an increase of £645 million ($813 million).
The association stated that the ban coming into effect on April 1, 2025, will exacerbate the already existing "significant" illegal trade, and as such the UK government must focus on effective enforcement to prevent "rogue trading.
In early this month, the UK government issued a ban on disposable e-cigarettes and also released an impact assessment report. "The report seriously underestimates the losses that retailers will suffer," according to ACS. The evaluation also lacks a clear definition of disposable e-cigarettes, and the government admits that further discussion is needed. The ban is set to take effect in 12 months, but concerns remain as the government does not fully understand what it wants to prohibit.
ACS CEO James Lowman expressed his concerns about the ban.
The UK government's defense of banning disposable e-cigarettes is completely inadequate. The basic data in the impact assessment is incorrect, as it attempts to cover up the already massive illegal market and avoid meaningful debate on enforcing and providing appropriate funding for trade standards, as it knows the trade standards team is already stretched to the limit and does not have the resources to keep up.
Banning something does not necessarily mean it will cease to exist. If the government is truly committed to preventing children from accessing disposable e-cigarettes, then they should focus on cracking down on illegal trade and enforcing existing laws to prevent children from accessing these products.
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