Illegal Sales Persist After Disposable Vape Ban Takes Effect in Edinburgh, UK

Key Points:

·After the implementation of the disposable e-cigarette ban in Edinburgh, Scotland, some stores are still openly selling illegal products.

·Some store owners claim that customers prefer the taste of old products, making it difficult to obtain supplements.

·The trade standards team is facing enforcement challenges due to a lack of resources and is calling for more support.

【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report by Edinburgh News on July 15th, reporters were able to successfully purchase disposable e-cigarettes at seven locations in Edinburgh, Scotland. Many stores are still openly displaying them for sale. When questioned by undercover reporters, many store employees admitted that selling these products was illegal, with one stating that customers liked the taste of them. Others claimed they were clearing out their inventory, while a few stated they were unaware that these e-cigarettes were illegal.

On June 1, 2025, the Scottish government implemented a ban for public health and environmental well-being. Similar bans came into effect on the same day in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, while Scotland's ban was delayed by two months to align the start date nationwide. The ban was announced in early 2024 in Scotland, giving manufacturers and retailers time to adapt to this change.

In response, e-cigarette manufacturers are creating new product lines that bear a resemblance to their old disposable products in terms of appearance, but now come with added features such as a charging port and disposable pods containing liquid and new heating elements.

Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the ban, despite a city council report from May stating that the city's trade standards team needs more resources to investigate disposable e-cigarettes without reducing their other services.

Several weeks after the ban took effect, journalists discovered that some shops were still selling disposable e-cigarettes, prompting them to conduct test purchases across the city.

At a popular downtown retail store, a journalist asked if they had disposable e-cigarettes available. The cashier confirmed and took out ten disposable e-cigarettes, placing them on the counter for selection.

He admitted that these products are illegal, but stated that customers seem to prefer the taste of the old disposable products rather than the refillable alternatives being released by many companies.

He said:

“The only difference is the battery. But people still want these, they like this flavor.”

A few days later, the reporter returned and the same store owner denied selling e-cigarettes, stating that the store has no inventory or carries products that do not comply with the ban.

At a convenience store on the south side, the journalist was able to easily request a bottle of Coke-flavored Elf Bar from the shelf.

When asked if e-cigarettes are illegal, the cashier confirmed it. He said the store is clearing out its inventory and it is difficult to get supplies for new e-cigarettes.

He continued to say:

“People don't care whether e-cigarettes are disposable or not, they are all the same.”

At two other downtown newsstands, journalists can purchase disposable Peach Ice SKE bars and disposable Cherry Cola Elf Bars.

A shop owner there said:

“(Additional) Pods are difficult to obtain. Our suppliers do not stock them, so we are unable to purchase them.”

The issue of legality and illegality appears to be causing trouble for some shop owners. At another downtown newsstand, Pineapple Peach Mango Elf Bar is available for purchase - when asked if it complies with the ban, the shop owner seemed to believe it is legal, telling reporters, "You can switch out the pod.

When the journalist removed the e-cigarette from its packaging and noted that it did not include a charger or replaceable pod, he felt confused.

When the reporter returned to the store, another employee also believed that e-cigarettes were legal, stating that they had received a shipment of non-compliant Elf Bars two weeks ago. The reporter also purchased non-compliant e-cigarettes from two other stores in the city, both of which openly stocked them.

At each store, reporters requested receipts, but the majority refused. Some said they had run out of receipt paper, while others did not provide an explanation for why they could not provide one.

The journalist has now handed over the evidence documents to the Trade Standards team of the Edinburgh City Council, which is conducting an investigation.

The journalist also checked some chain supermarkets' e-cigarettes - a store stocking disposable e-cigarettes was found at Sainsbury's on Shandwick Place.

However, when the cashier tried to ring up the e-cigarette, his terminal would not allow him to scan the product. He then proceeded to remove the remaining disposable e-cigarettes from the shelf behind him.

A spokesperson for Sainsbury's stated that the company places a high priority on its "role as a responsible retailer" and ensures that all of its stores comply with the ban.

A spokesperson for the Scottish government stated:

“Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the ban on disposable e-cigarettes. The day-to-day enforcement activities are carried out by trade standard officers employed by each local authority. The Scottish government continues to stay in touch with regulatory bodies and other UK nations on any compliance and enforcement issues.”

Alexandra Connell, Chair of the Scottish Trade Standard Chief Officers Association, has stated that the trade standards team needs more support to address the ban.

She said:

“We are a small industry with many other important tasks to do. The Scottish government has allocated some funding to help us carry out these tasks. However, it is still unclear how this funding will reach us. Additionally, this is a small funding pool distributed among 32 local authorities, meaning each person receives very little funding. What we truly need is to receive proper resources.”

Ms. Connell stated that trade standard officials often need to prioritize investigating the most harmful products, such as counterfeit or defective children's toys, rather than enforcing regulations on other products.

She also stated that preventing disposable e-cigarettes from entering the border may be a more cost-effective solution than having municipal trade standards officials remove them from individual stores.

“It is worth mentioning that this guideline highlights the harm reduction and smoking cessation potential of e-cigarettes in the section on smoking cessation assistance, particularly emphasizing the importance of informing doctors about them. The hope is that doctors can better understand e-cigarettes.”