Forging a way forward

The single-use vape ban has disrupted the market, but retailers are riding the storm and identifying areas of growth.

It’s certainly been a testing few months for vape retailers as they and their customers navigate the single use vape ban, which came into force on 1 June.

The introduction of the vape ban hit UK convenience sales volumes hard, noted TWC, with a -16% drop in week one, impacting additional categories such as crisps, snacks, confectionery, and soft drinks. The insight consultancy labelled Tobacco Alternatives as a sales ‘drain’ over the third quarter of 2025, with the category suffering significant value and volume declines.

“Vapes have definitely slowed down,” says Ross MacPherson, Costcutter Barrassie and Coylton, South Ayrshire. “We’ve got a lot of vape customers still, but they are buying refillable pods now. They’ve moved on, which is probably why the sales have dropped, because they’re buying one every week, or one every three days as opposed to two a day.

Before the ban, Ross says the Barassie store was turning over £3,000 a week in vape sales, but this has now plummeted 60% to £1,200. However, this decline is not representative of the shop’s overall sales. “It’s the same in Coylton,” he claims. “We’ve lost a few thousand on vaping, but we’re up £2,000 to £3,000 a week overall.”

Same but different

Rather than take risks on up-and-coming vape brands, Ross generally only stocks household names. “We have a core range, we stock IVG Pro and IVG Smart, they both have 10,000 puffs, they’re refillable. Then there’s a Crystal one [SKE 600 Pro] that’s got pods, but they’re single use if you don’t change the pods. They’re very popular still, so I don’t know if folk just like [the idea of] that single-use vape in their hand with the smaller pod.”

SKE claims that the 600 Pro’s similarity to its disposable counterpart is exactly why the product has seen “robust demand”.

The brand’s CEO Jack Dong says: “By adapting our bestselling disposable into a fully compliant refillable product, while keeping the familiar shape, flavours and experience, we’ve offered consumers continuity at a time of change. Subtle updates to colours, flavour descriptors and branding ensured the product remains adult-focused and understated.”

Imperial Brands was also ahead of the game, launching its rechargeable blu bar kit in summer 2024 to help consumers gradually transition away from disposables. This has since been followed up with the blu box kit.

“Since the ban has been implemented, there has been high cross-usage of vape device types amongst adult vapers who previously used disposable devices,” says Andrew Malm, UK Market Manager for Imperial Brands. “May 2025 data from Vape Hub reveals that more than 60% of these disposable users have purchased a pod device – with up to 35% buying replacement pods.

“As consumers become used to a post-ban purchasing experience, it remains important that users feel confident about how to use refills within their reusable devices so that they make the most of the pod-based devices. Informed retail staff can play a key role here acting as a source of help and advice for those looking at vaping assistance and options.”

What’s your flavour?

Malm also advises retailers to keep a close eye on what flavours are in demand. “In vapes, with consumer demand for pod systems on the rise, it is important for retailers to be mindful of the trends that will maintain its uptake, especially around flavour preferences and format favourites,” he says, citing a recent VapeHub study, which surveyed 450 UK vape users. “When asked for their three most-preferred flavours, 64% mentioned fruit – more than double that of any other flavour type [VapeHub: online survey, data collected between July 2024 and January 2025].”

The blu box kit and blu bar kit are compatible with the brand’s 15 intense pod flavours, including Strawberry Ice, Mint, Watermelon Ice, and Blueberry Sour Razz – along with the additions of Cherry, Pineapple, Lemon Lime, and Triple Melon.

Asim Iqbal stocks a wide variety of vape flavours at Roslin Convenience Store in Midlothian and claims they all sell well. “We have a very big mix of flavours, menthol ones and fruit ones. Because we have such a high influx of customers, all the flavours move.”

Asim’s vape sales have been performing well since the ban, which he puts down to expanding the fixture as more big puff ranges became available. “There weren’t as many [when the ban first came in] as now – we’ve brought in quite a few new products,” he says.

“With the single use vapes we weren’t too heavy on multi-buys, but now we have to be with the bigger ones. The IVG Pro 12 (sold at £12.99 per device or three for £20, plus pods for £6.99 or 10 for £50), are fast movers, as well as the Hayati Pro Max+ 6000+ [priced at £8.99, with refill pods for £6.99]. They’re the main ones for us.”

He also stocks some smaller puff devices but claims his customers have wised up to getting more puff for their pound. “I’ve got the Lost Mary BM600 puff refill pods, they’re five for £20. So that’s roughly 600 puffs for £4 or you can go for 10,000 or 12,000 puffs for £6.99. Most people are going for the bigger [puff] ones and then getting the refills of those purely because they’re better value for money,” he explains.

The oral nicotine scene

Meanwhile, pouches are performing well at Roslin Convenience Stores. “I used to have a stand with eight spaces for pouches, but now I’ve got 25 easily,” says Asim. “Because we’ve boosted the range and because we’ve got good deals on them, the sales have gone up. Pablo, Killa and Nordic Spirit are our bestsellers.”

Ross MacPherson’s pouch sales have risen too, up an impressive 100%, albeit from a small base compared to vapes. “We’re selling more Velo and Nordic Spirit, and we’ve got Pablo Gold in, which seems to be very popular,” says Ross.

Although more sales take place in the grocery channel, sales of nicotine pouches are growing much faster in convenience, where they are up by 88% YOY in volume terms, compared to 58% YOY volume growth in grocery [IRI Marketplace, w/e 06-07-2025], states Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK.

“Our XQS brand is selling particularly well in convenience stores, where it is already the sixth-biggest-selling brand, with huge potential for further growth,” says Prianka Jhingan, STG Head of Marketing.

John Rennie, Director of Commercial Operations at PMI UK&I, which makes Zyn pouches, says: “Adopting a multi-category product approach is critical if retailers are going to meet different consumer tastes and preferences. There’s clearly an opportunity for retailers to switch single-use adult vape users to an alternative smoke-free option, preventing them from reverting back to cigarettes while also protecting their store’s bottom line.”