The UK vaping sector’s growth is primarily driven by its official endorsement as a harm-reduction tool for adult smokers, competitive consumer pricing, and the rapid market evolution toward refillable pod systems in response to sustainability trends and stricter environmental regulations.
The UK government and public health bodies like Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) officially promote vaping as a highly effective, less harmful alternative to help adult smokers quit.
The promotion of vaping has led to a major milestone where the number of daily and occasional vapers in Great Britain has officially overtaken the number of traditional cigarette smokers (ONS).
The UK’s ban of single-use, disposable vapes has driven immense growth in the hardware and e-liquid markets, pushing millions of consumers to transition to rechargeable pod kits, prefilled pods, and customisable tank systems.
Vapers are increasingly shifting toward pod systems and e-liquids (like nic salts) to replicate the grab-and-go experience of disposables while benefiting from lower long-term costs.
Manufacturers continuously drive sales through consumer-focused innovation, such as developing smoother nicotine salt formulas and popular fruit-led and iced flavour profiles.
Continuous improvements in battery life, coil longevity, and device reliability are keeping experienced vapers engaged and willing to purchase higher-end hardware.
The availability of vaping products has expanded from highly specialised stores to mainstream convenience shops, making it incredibly easy for adult consumers to purchase devices and refills.
Prianka Jhingan, Head of Marketing at Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK, comments: “I think there are a number of different reasons why some smokers are switching to reduced risk products and price may well be one of them, as we know the search for value is a growing trend across the entire nicotine category. However, I think a bigger reason is likely to be transitioning smokers who wish to move away from tobacco.”
The latest IRI data shows total UK nicotine pouch sales have now reached just under £230m and are growing by 55% YOY in volume terms. Although more sales currently take place in the grocery channel, they continue to grow fastest in the convenience channel.
Following the disposable vape ban last summer, both tobacco smokers and increasing numbers of vapers are now entering the nicotine pouch category in growing numbers, with sales increasing accordingly.
“But whilst the disposable vape ban has clearly had a positive impact on pouch sales, I think the main factor driving the positive trajectory of the category is because a growing number of nicotine users are now discovering what a great option pouches are for them, due to their discreet and portable nature, and the great flavours available,” adds Jhingan.
With pouches mint is the most popular flavour, but fruit flavours are doing well too.
XQS is the number two brand in Sweden and was first launched into the UK back in May 2024, and since then has become an important part of the fast-growing UK nicotine pouch category. The brand is recognised for its long-lasting flavours and smaller pouch size, as well as the fact that it offers consumers great value at £5.50, which is usually £1 cheaper than other major brands in the market.
Within the XQS portfolio Tropical and Black Cherry flavours are the current best-sellers, while Arctic Freeze and Strawberry Kiwi are also popular.
To further capitalise on the rise in popularity of pouches, STG recently announced a re-brand across the entire XQS range, including a new much bolder logo, emphasising the brand’s clarity, strength, and confidence.
The entire packaging has been elevated too, offering much greater standout on shelf. The new packs demonstrate bold, simplified letterforms and glossy textures, while the bold, bright gradients of colour from the previous packs remain. Not only will the new packs continue to have nicotine strength indicators on the front, but they will also have a new flavour profile indicator on the side, showing consumers the degree to which each SKU is sweet, fresh, zesty, tangy or icy. The new look and feel also extends to the outer packaging which now becomes a powerful brand asset designed for stronger shelf impact and visibility.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK has introduced an exciting new mint range into its XQS nicotine pouch portfolio. The four new SKUs include The Spearmint, The Peppermint and The Menthol (in two different strengths), and are available to retailers now, with an RRP of £5.50. Sales of the new mint range will be further boosted by the launch of a ‘Get Minted’ campaign, which will give both consumers and retailers the chance to win cash prizes and rewards.
The Spearmint may have the lowest strength, but it is perhaps the most superior in flavour, offering consumers a fresh, long-lasting spearmint experience with just 6mg of nicotine and is perfect for new entrants to the category. The Peppermint offers a stronger nicotine hit at 10mg with a clean cooling sensation, while The Menthol is aimed at mature pouch users who are looking for that additional kick, offering real nicotine intensity and effect time, and comes in two strengths of 11mg and 17mg respectively.
To further boost the popularity of this new mint range, STG UK is offering both consumers and retailers the chance to ‘Get Minted’. By purchasing any product from the XQS Mint range, consumers will unlock the chance to win cash prizes and rewards, with the idea being that instead of offering one giant jackpot win, the campaign instead spreads the luck across lots of smaller wins, giving more people a real chance to get a cash boost. Retailers will also have the chance to win, as their visiting STG sales rep will ask them three questions on the new portfolio which, if answered correctly, will earn them a scratchcard and the chance to win cash or VIP prizes.
Jhingan says, “It’s mint flavours which are really driving the pouch category at the moment, currently accounting for 78% (IRI) of total sales. We’re confident this new range will be a very welcome addition, as it offers superior taste, clear navigation and affordability and will bring some fresh minty energy into the category. We also encourage both retailers and consumers to enjoy ‘Getting Minted’ this summer and make the most of all the prizes on offer.”
Andrew Malm, UK Market Manager for Imperial Brands, comments: “The top factors driving product selection, according to recent research, are good taste, taste duration, freshness, and a wide range of flavours (H2H). Customer choice of nicotine products is also driven by the need for fast-acting and intense nicotine delivery coupled with long-lasting flavour (H2H). We know some nicotine pouch customers have expressed dissatisfaction with products that fail to deliver on these fronts, prompting them to seek alternatives that better meet their needs.”
When it comes to nicotine pouches, while they are available in a variety of strengths, this is also an area driving choice for customers with 9-12mg strength products currently accounting for 43.4% of the market (EPOS).
On the vaping side, flavour choice for pod-based systems is a very important factor for customers making purchasing decisions and flavour preferences within the pod-based systems market also reveal some interesting trends that retailers can tap into.
Fruit-flavoured vapes remain by far the most popular, being a choice for 83% (Total Retail EPOS) of vape users followed by menthol, mint and mint combo flavours (VapeHub).
Customers are looking for rechargeable devices where there is also a decent range of flavours for the refillable pods or cartridges. This gives them the flexibility to try different tastes without having to continually re-purchase the device itself.
Imperial Brands recently introduced some new flavours to the rechargeable blu bar kit range, so that retailers can now offer customers up to 17 flavours to buy in their stores. Creamy Tobacco has been developed in direct response to the growing demand for tobacco-inspired options among users of pod-based systems – particularly former cigarette smokers who enjoy the taste of tobacco, as well as those who both smoke and vape, in the 29-41 age group. Sour Berry offers a more authentic flavour profile of wild berries, sharpened by tartness, to provide a superior flavour experience for users, engaging their senses with distinct, vibrant berry notes.
Providing users with 1,000 puffs per pod, the blu bar kit is a sleek, slimline and lightweight device that offers easy use and portability, while the rechargeable battery and USB-C charging port enable repeated use. The blu pod packs contain two pods allowing a total of 2,000 puffs each, and the blu bar kit utilises blu Flavour Tech mesh coil technology to deliver intense flavour from the first puff to the last.
ZONE, a brand of high-quality nicotine pouches, was created to support retailers and wholesalers to capitalise on the escalating customer interest for nicotine pouches, while appealing to nicotine users who are looking for an alternative nicotine experience, having the convenience and ability to be used anywhere.
Manufactured at Imperial Brands owned factories in Europe, ZONE is the result of significant research and development using high-quality raw materials, to the highest standards. ZONE delivers fast-acting nicotine release and intense long-lasting flavour.
ZONE offers five flavour options, including Sweet Mint, Cool Mint, Watermelon Ice, Juicy Peach and Berry Blast. As a growing category, 9-12mg strength products currently account for 43.4% of the nicotine pouch market (EPOS) and ZONE is available in 10mg nicotine strength across four of its flavours. Cool Mint and Berry Blast are available in a higher, 11mg nicotine strength variety.
Each ZONE contains 20 nicotine pouches in a new, slimmer format for better mouthfeel and discreetness, carrying an RRP of £6.50 each.
Launched across retail in April 2026, and with an RRP of £5.99, Sour Berry is the newest addition to blu bar kit and blu box kit’s extensive flavour range.
With fruit-flavours preferred by 83% (Total Retail EPOS) of vape users, customers are seeking differentiated, less synthetic flavours in this category. In response, Imperial Brands launched Sour Berry to expand its blu vape flavour range in line with customer preferences. The newest addition offers a more authentic flavour profile of wild berries, sharpened by tartness, to provide a superior flavour experience for users, engaging their senses with distinct, vibrant berry notes.
The new Sour Berry flavour uses the innovative AuthentiTaste™ formulation, which are liquids crafted with flavourings that mirror real fruit profiles and sensorial cues – like sourness – delivering a fresh, captivating experience.
The new Sour Berry flavour is available in two formats: blu bar kit and blu pod pack. Offering 1,000 puffs of intense, authentic flavour per prefilled, replaceable pod. blu bar kit features a sleek device and is compatible with all other flavours in the extensive blu pod range, allowing users to enjoy a variety of flavour experiences. Each blu pod pack includes two replacement blu pods, delivering an impressive total of 2,000 puffs per pod pack.
Richard Cook, Commercial Director, Juul Labs UK, comments: “Smoking remains the leading cause of death and disease in the UK. According to the NHS, although not completely harmless, nicotine vaping is less harmful than smoking and is one of the most effective tools for switching away from smoking.”
High taxes on traditional tobacco products have been implemented in part to increase the cost and disincentivise the purchase of harmful products. Economic research shows that when the price of cigarettes rises, a segment of the smoking population switches to cheaper alternatives (NIHR). It is crucial that, as taxes increase on tobacco and nicotine products, a significant differential is maintained between them to reflect their relative risk profiles.
“Every smoker looking to move away from tobacco products has a distinct journey, and a broad range of less harmful alternatives and flavour profiles can help support individuals in choosing their preferred switching tool,” adds Cook.
“However, many retailers and wholesalers are stocking similar products and brands in terms of flavours and quality, rather than offering choice. If you walk into many c-stores, they will offer products that are colourful with flavours clearly targeted at youth, rather than high-quality products aimed at adult smokers as an effective means to transition away from smoking. The key to success lies in offering users a range of products across premium closed pod systems such as JUUL2, liquids, and pouches, rather than an overreliance on one particular type of product and flavour profile.”
Within flavours, it’s important to offer responsible choices as opposed to child-appealing flavours like gummy bear, strawberry lace, and mango smoothie,” advises Cook. “Retailers should ensure that adult smokers have a range of responsible flavour options to support them on their switching journey. Fruit flavours now account for 48% of category sales and 51% (Ash) of adult smokers have a strong preference for fruit flavours to support their switching journey.
In the tobacco and menthol segment alone, JUUL2 is the #2 brand overall and holds the #1 refill pod SKU with Crisp Menthol. Yet over half of JUUL2 users have said that the absence of fruit flavours was a barrier to them switching away from smoking. In response, Juul Labs UK has launched a small, curated range of single-fruit flavours – including Apple, Mango, Watermelon, Lychee and, most recently, Peach.
Refillable and pod kits are now the most preferred type of device used by adult smokers, with pod & tank based systems being the main system type for 75% of users in 2024 (Ash). The total pods & refills category is worth £1.3bn a year in tracked retail channels, more than doubling in size following the disposable ban in June 2025 (Circana). Major brands include JUUL, Vuse & Blu, along with brands like Lost Mary & SKE Crystal – previously known for their disposable products – which have now transitioned to selling usable devices.
Whilst the majority of major supermarket retailers have transitioned to mainly selling legally compliant closed pod-based formats like JUUL2, the convenience sector in particular has heavily skewed towards larger formats like “Big Puff”. These big puff devices often contain a 2ml pod + 10ml refill and still use the same flavours and bright colours that could be considered to be more attractive to underage users. Interestingly, whilst the volume of e-liquid sold is now up by 40% in the convenience channel (due to the higher e-liquid volume in “Big Puff” devices), the value of e-liquid sales is down by -22% within that channel. This fall in value is partly due to the much lower price per millilitre of “Big Puff” devices when compared to older disposables and other system types.
“Retailers, and therefore wholesalers, should therefore be concerned not only by the lower value (and footfall) that stems from selling “Big Puff” devices, but also that these products pose a risk to underage use by having similar attributes, in terms of flavour and packaging, that contributed to the Government issuing a ban of disposable products in June 2025,” says Cook.
Angelo Yang, Associate General Manager, UK, ELFBAR, comments: “Smoking rates continue to decline in Great Britain, with vaping now surpassing smoking (ONS). According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), 2.7 million UK adults have quit smoking over the past five years using vaping products, while more than half of smokers say they want to quit cigarettes.”
Vapes are regarded as a less harmful alternative to smoking and an effective cessation aid, as recognised by organisations including the NHS, ASH and Cancer Research UK. Rising cigarette prices, alongside wider cost-of-living pressures, are likely contributing to this shift, with vapes offering a more economical alternative for adult smokers. Particularly as refill pods provide significantly better value than buying a new device each time.
However, despite this progress, misperceptions around vaping remain a key barrier. A recent ELFBAR survey of 6,000 UK adults found that 50% incorrectly believe vaping is as, or more, harmful than smoking. This aligns with ASH data showing that misperceptions of harm have increased in recent years, and are highest among smokers, the group that would benefit most from switching.
While higher tobacco taxes can accelerate the shift toward lower-cost alternatives, addressing vaping misperceptions remains critical to supporting switching and sustaining further declines in smoking rates.
Flavour choice is a key, and increasingly important, factor in adult vapers’ purchasing behaviour and in supporting their efforts to quit smoking. ELFBAR’s survey of 6,000 UK adults found that 63% of vapers now use fruit and other sweet flavours, up from 48% the previous year. Reflecting this, 71% of adult vapers say access to a variety of flavours helps them avoid returning to tobacco.
Pineapple Ice, Lemon and Lime, Strawberry Ice, and Blueberry Sour Raspberry are currently among the most popular flavour profiles in the vaping category.
Reusable pod kits continue to dominate the vaping category, with high puff count devices in this segment accounting for around 60% of the market and remaining a primary driver of category growth.
Rising cigarette prices and cost-of-living pressures are also shaping purchasing decisions, with high puff count products being favoured due to their larger e-liquid capacities, delivering longer-lasting use and lower cost per puff. The value proposition of refills further supports adoption, offering a more economical alternative to device replacement in an increasingly cost-conscious market.
ELFBAR’s best-selling products are the ELFBAR 600, LOST MARY BM600 and LOST MARY BM6000. The high puff count segment remains the standout growth driver within the vaping category, with the LOST MARY BM6000 leading the market and continuing to strengthen its position, as shown by RDP sales figures. Similarly, within this space, LOST MARY NERA15K is seeing strong momentum in the market.
Jacqueline Hoctor, Commercial Director at I Vape Great UK, comments: “Demand for Big Puff vapes continues to build, supported by more awareness of vaping as a tobacco alternative and a shift towards longer-life formats.
“Rather than short-term movement, performance reflects a broader shift in how the category is being managed at retail level, with a clearer focus on consistency, value, and repeat sales.”
According to Circana data, symbols and independent retailers continue to drive growth in the Big Puff segment, with unit sales increasing from 4.02m to 4.44m in Q1.
That growth is being driven by stronger sell-through on established lines, as retailers continue to concentrate ranging around proven products.
In contrast, small puff remains a smaller part of the market, with primary growth in Q1 coming through supermarkets, reflecting different approaches to ranging by channel.
Since the disposable vape ban in June 2025, big puff value has increased from £39.5m to £53.8m, highlighting continued movement across retail towards better value formats.
Hoctor adds: “For wholesalers, the focus is increasingly shifting towards stocking stronger levels of proven best-selling lines rather than over-extending range, as demand becomes more concentrated around established products. Retailers, in turn, are prioritising products that sell consistently, are easy to manage, and support repeat orders.”
Within this evolving category, IVG remains a strong participant in the Big Puff segment. Distribution now spans approximately 45,000 retail points across convenience, supermarkets, and forecourts. Over the past eight months, the brand has sold 1.6 million units, with the IVG PRO accounting for approximately 1.0 million of those sales.
The PRO range is supported by a 39-flavour portfolio across three nicotine strengths, alongside the launch of PRO 2, which maintains compatibility across the range and supports easier ranging and replenishment for retailers and wholesalers.
Recent innovation activity has also continued, with three flavour launches in November and a further six in April, supporting ongoing flavour rotation and helping keep core lines active across retail.
For wholesalers planning their range, the data suggests a focus on best-selling Big Puff products, strong availability on core lines, and a more selective approach to smaller puff ranges where demand is stabilising.
Steve Mosey, CEO of Phoenix 2 Retail, comments: “With the average price of a packet of cigarettes now well above £14, there is no doubt that cost has been a factor, alongside health and lifestyle reasons, for prompting people to switch from tobacco to reduced risk products.
“However, this is not the same for all smokers, especially older, more habituated smokers, who are less engaged with vaping, perhaps because they are unsure of the technology, or aren’t sure what alternative would work for them, or because they love the ritual of lighting up.
“In their case, the cost isn’t the issue, which is where retailers can help. By creating a clear, attractive and comprehensive range, in conjunction with offering advice and education, they can help smokers to switch to the right alternative for them.”
Rather than shrinking the market, the ban on single-use vapes has led to a migration to more sustainable, higher-margin categories. The big winners were the pre-filled pod systems, which resemble the grab-and-go convenience of disposables without the waste, by featuring a rechargeable battery and a replaceable pod.
They have become the new mainstream for casual vapers.
The other product to benefit has been nicotine pouches. The UK nicotine pouch market alone grew 95% year-on-year in 2024 and that momentum has continued, with pouches filling a niche for people who want an alternative for situations where vaping isn’t allowed or frowned-upon.
“Sales of cigarettes are falling every year, so big name tobacco manufacturers have been investing in RRPs, alongside a host of new, independent suppliers who use our distribution channels to get onto the shelves at major UK retailers,” adds Mosey.
“They are really keen to drive penetration in the category, however their brands don’t have the same customer franchise as the innovators do at the moment. While their heavy investment will help them with pouches, vaping has to this point been led by customers finding the best products on the open market.”
Figures show that with now 10% of adults – approximately 5.4 million people – now vaping, vapers outnumber cigarette smokers for the first time. Just over half of them are ex-smokers, 40% are current smokers who also vape and just five per cent – down from 8% – are never-smokers.
“This isn’t always recognised in the media and it means that the vast majority aren’t drawn in by novelty, they are increasingly adults who are seeking to transition away from smoking and who, as such, want reliability and value,” says Mosey.
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