Fruit and sweet flavours are increasingly critical to helping Scottish smokers and ex-smokers transition, according to Elfbar, which has claimed that restricting flavour choices [a potential outcome of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill] could disrupt established quitting behaviours, increasing the likelihood of relapse among former smokers.
New research from the vape giant shows fruit and other sweet flavours have seen an 82% increase in popularity in Scotland among adult vapers quitting smoking, with the majority (62%) now using these flavours most often to quit smoking, up from 34% in December 2024.
The research, carried out by Opinium, found that 63% of all Scottish vapers surveyed use fruit and sweet flavours at least once a week and that 63% of vapers believe that having access to a range of different flavours helps them reduce their smoking or stop them from going back to tobacco products.
Elfbar pointed to a 2025 survey from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), which suggests that 14% of vapers would return to smoking if flavours were limited to tobacco, mint and menthol. Based on ASH’s survey estimate of 5.5 million UK adult vapers, this equates to 770,000 adults (which, by proportion, could mean more than 50,000 Scottish adults), underscoring the potential consequences of flavour restrictions.
14% of Scottish adults smoke, with two-thirds wanting to quit, according to ASH Scotland. Elfbar research showed that vaping remains the leading quit aid in Scotland, with 44% of smokers or recent quitters using vapes to help them stop smoking, significantly more than those who used patches (23%) or nicotine gum (17%).
When asked if reusable vapes have helped them reduce or stop smoking, more than half (53%) of Scottish respondents said they had helped a lot, with another one in six (17%) saying they had helped a little.
Further to the single-use vape ban on 1st June, the majority of current daily vapers (90%) are using reusable vapes. 84% of reusable vape users are purchasing separate refills, 11% intend to and only 6% buy a new kit each time.
However, the proliferation of illicit products, including single-use devices, remains a major concern. A significant proportion of current vapers (22%) in Scotland admit to knowingly purchasing illegal vapes, and one in five (20%) of all those surveyed are aware of illegal vapes being sold locally (within the past three months).
In terms of current vapers’ confidence in the legality of vape products available from various outlets, based on a scale 1-10 (10 = completely confident), vape stores that are part of a chain and supermarkets averaged eight and seven respectively, compared with a score of four for non-traditional retailers of age-restricted products, such as barbers and phone shops.
The survey also highlighted that misconceptions about vaping remain high, with 45% of Scottish adults mistakenly believing that vaping is as, or more, harmful than smoking tobacco. These findings mirror ASH’s July 2025 report, which noted a sharp increase in public misperceptions, particularly among smokers, deterring those who could gain the most from switching to a less harmful alternative.
Eve Peters, director of government affairs for Elfbar in the UK, said: “Fruit and other sweet vape flavours play an increasingly critical role in helping adult smokers quit for good. As such, it is essential that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill takes an evidence-based approach to flavours, ensuring smokers can continue to access the vaping products and flavours they need.
“Following the single-use ban, the vast majority of vapers have transitioned to reusable vapes and are purchasing separate refills, but a minority are consuming illegal single-use vapes or have seemingly relapsed back to tobacco. This emphasises the need to fully assess the impact of regulations before proceeding with further potential legislation.
“Given the reported scale of the illegal market, we fully support the implementation of the enhanced retail registration system in Scotland, which we believe should be accompanied by a national anti-illicit trade strategy.
“With the right policy measures, we can build on recent progress, help more smokers adopt less harmful alternatives, and keep Scotland on course for its smokefree goals.”
The research was based on a survey of 6,000 UK-based adults aged 18 and over, including 500 Scotland-based adults.
This latest report is part of a series of ongoing studies that examine smoker behaviour and public attitudes to vaping-related issues. Opinium has surveyed 40,000 UK adults since 2023 (with up to four reports per year), making it one of the most comprehensive datasets on vaping behaviours and emerging trends in the UK.
