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UK Vape Taxes: A Retailers Guide

UK Vape Taxes: A Retailers Guide

Published by James Dunworth

Updated: 12/11/24

A vape tax equivalent to £2.20 per 10ml bottle will come into force on October 1, 2026.

How will this influence your business? This guide will look at everything from how the tax will work, and its likely impact on everything from cash flow to consumer demand and trends.

Contents

How will the tax work?

Only e-liquid will be taxed at present, as the government believes the ban on disposable vapes means devices can be left alone for now.

The tax is set at £2.20 per 10ml. That’s the price before VAT, so the final increase per 10ml will be £2.64.

In contrast to previous plans, this will be a flat rate for all e-liquid, including zero nicotine. The tax will also apply to flavour concentrates and VG:PG mixes (when sold for the purposes of vaping).

Crucially, the tax levels will not be set when e-liquid is sold, and if you do not import or manufacture e-liquid you will not need to collect or pay the tax.

Instead, the tax will be levied either:

  • At the point of import
  • At the point of manufacture
  • At the point it leaves an HMRC-registered factory or registered warehouse that has agreed a suspension of duty

What will the impact for vape businesses be?

Cash flow

One of the biggest problems with the legislation will be immediate cash flow after the tax introduction.

Manufacturers will need to pass on the cost of the tax. It’s also likely that other costs will be increased because of the need for new systems and bureaucracy. For example, HMRC plans to introduce a system of tax stamps, which will need to be purchased from an approved HMRC supplier and applied to each bottle sold. The changes are also likely to require investment in property to meet the requirements for duty suspension and in manufacturing processes and equipment.

However, the tax will be collected from the manufacturer or supplier, not from you. What’s more, it won’t apply to products manufactured before 1st October 2026. Assuming we will be allowed to sell e-liquid manufactured before this date, an obvious mitigating strategy will be to stock up on e-liquid before the introduction of the vape tax.

Black market/thefts

The huge trend of illegal vapes is already a thorn in the side of legitimate retailers, accounting for an estimated one-third of sales.

The increase in the price of e-liquid will mean there is both more profit and more demand for black market alternatives. This will increase the opportunity for criminals and illegal sellers, and likely increase the amount of thefts.

Bonded warehouses and a tax stamp system may help mitigate this, but it will also be worth reviewing and improving security systems in the run up to the tax.

The original plans for a tax on vaping products saw a tiered system, with high-nicotine e-liquid costing the most and zero-nicotine products costing the least. The reduced tax on zero-nicotine e-liquid meant there was a strong possibility that shortfills would see an increase in demand.

With the new plans, a single 100ml shortfill will now cost an additional £26.40 (including VAT) before nicotine is added. The cost per mg of nicotine will be higher than standard e-liquid, and will likely incentivise vapers to move to the higher nicotine e-liquid available in 10ml bottles.

It’s also possible that pre-filled pods will become more popular. While the tax per ml will be the same, prefilled pods will appear cheaper, as the increased cost per 2ml pod will be 63p, as opposed to £2.64 per 10ml e-liquid bottle.

Demand

Research has shown that increases in vape taxes lead to reduced vaping and increased smoking.

The government plans to account for that by increasing the duty on cigarettes by £2.20 per 100. This will be in addition to any other regular rises in the duty on cigarettes.

Unfortunately, they also make the incorrect assertion that 10ml of e-liquid is equivalent to 100 cigarettes, despite the fact that 10ml e-liquid contains a fraction of the amount of nicotine, and e-cigarettes deliver nicotine more slowly.

There’s also no mention of alternative nicotine products such as Heat Not Burn or nicotine pouches in the regulations. While there are questions on these in the consultation, if they are not taxed at a similar rate consumers may well move towards these products.

Therefore, it's likely that the e-liquid market will either grow more slowly or reduce in size, but it’s hard to anticipate exactly to what extent.

Brands

The increased expense of introducing e-liquids, both for manufacturers and retailers, is likely to lead to a more careful approach towards selecting brands. Risk aversion will mean fewer new vape juice brands will be successful, helping to consolidate existing well-known e-liquid brands.

Wrapping up

During my 16 years in the vape industry, I’ve seen two attempts at medicalisation, attacks from the WHO and the implementation of the Tobacco Products Directive.

Vaping has come under serious threat on numerous occasions, but it’s still here.

It’s true that this vape tax is a frustrating, misguided (to say the least) and unwelcome blow for businesses and harm reduction, but it’s not the end of the industry. And it’s worth remembering that high levels of tax are present on many ‘sin’ products, which doesn’t stop people from using them.

At the same time, it’s key for the industry to engage with the government. While the tax is unlikely to be removed now, we still need to push for the best possible regime that will help both the industry and vapers who have switched away from smoking.

In the meantime, if you haven’t already, it’s well worth considering joining an industry body such as the IBVTA which can both engage with consultations and advise on how to remain compliant with this, and other, vape legislation.

FAQS

Will vapers be able to buy vape products in duty-free?

Yes. However, the exact amount has yet to be specified.

Will I be able to hold vape products in duty suspension?

Most shops are unlikely to have this option, which is designed for manufacturers and importers. If you do import your own e-liquid, you will need to have secure premises approved by HMRC in order to hold these products in duty suspension.

Will all VG:PG be covered under the new tax?

No, only VG:PG that is designed for vaping.