The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024 prohibits the sale of single-use vapes.
Your responsibilities
Any stock of single-use vapes you have left over needs to be removed from sale, boxed up and sealed, and clearly labelled for destruction.
You must ensure your staff are trained in the new legislation and that you only purchase legal stock from reputable wholesalers who provide detailed invoices clearly identifying the products purchased.
Inspection visits
Our Trading Standards officers will be carrying out inspections at premises across the borough. You and your staff must be aware of the information in this guidance and be able to speak with officers about the stock you sell, and the law around vapes.
If a supplier tries to sell you single-use vapes
You must report any suppliers or traders still selling single-use vapes. You can email us at trading.standards@croydon.gov.uk.
Read our guide for more information on how to identify a single-use vape and how to be sure the vapes you purchase for sale in future are re-useable.
Single-use vape ban - guidance and information (PDF, 499KB).
The Business Companion has more information on businesses that manufacture, import or sell vapes and associated products.
Reusable vapes
Reusable vapes will still be subject to wider regulatory restrictions. Vapes on the market must follow relevant regulations, including:
- Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals Regulations (2015)
- Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR)
You will be committing offences under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 if you stock vapes that have not been notified to the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Recycling vapes
Vapes are electrical items, whether they are single-use or reuseable, which means they are covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.
If you sell vapes (described as being a ‘distributor’ in the regulations), you must offer a ‘take back’ service where you accept vapes and vape parts that customers return for recycling including:
- Used pods
- Coils
- Batteries
Further information
Material Focus, an independent, not-for-profit organisation have produced a briefing that helps businesses that deal with vapes to understand their responsibilities under relevant legislation. It focusses on the effects of the single use vape ban and WEEE Regulations.
Read this briefing if you produce, import, distribute or sell vapes (PDF, 1.5MB).