VPZ, the UK’s largest vape retailer, is calling on Trading Standards to take tough action on a shopping centre for promoting an illicit and unregulated disposable vape – targeted at youths.
Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, south-east England, is allowing Chinese vape manufacturer Hayati to advertise on electronic billboards throughout the mall.
The 6000+ puff Pro Max+ device comes in a range of flavours and is being marketed as a “New Chapter and New Classic” and “Ban-Proof Certified 2025”.
This so-called ‘Big Puff’ vape exploits a loophole in the UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024, that allows the sale of devices with greater liquid capacity than the legislated 2 ml.
By utilising an external plug-in tank of 2+10ml, the unit of this vape effectively becomes a 12 ml product, which is 6 times more than the allowed vaping liquid in a disposable device.
Despite being considered rechargeable, the super-size vape product is made with a low-quality charging battery, and an unchangeable coil which effectively makes it single use.
Director of VPZ – The Vaping Specialist, Greig Fowler, said: “It is totally unacceptable for a shopping centre in the UK to be advertising such a product on huge billboards.
“Places like Bluewater Shopping Centre is full of kids, especially at weekends, and this advert sends out the wrong message. It will only encourage kids to take up vaping and we don’t want that.
“These devices have no place in society, they are not made in the UK, and they are not tested by the MHRA (UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency).
“This advert must be a wake-up call to policymakers and the public, as it’s crucial that MPs act now to address the dangers of these super-sized disposables before the UK disposable ban comes into force on June 1st, 2025.
“If we fail to respond decisively now, we risk further harm to young people, an environmental disaster, and undermining vaping’s role as a smoking cessation tool, which has helped millions to quit smoking.”
VPZ strongly supports most of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill measures to tackle youth access, including restriction of naming, packaging, and marketing.
However, it believes that there should be a balanced regulatory approach to protect adult smokers looking to quit while effectively cracking down on illicit and unregulated products for the UK to reach its 2030 Smoke-Free goals.
-ENDS-
NOTES TO EDITORS
MPs will vote on the 3rd and final House of Commons reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024 in Parliament this coming Wednesday.
About VPZ
VPZ is the UK’s largest vaping specialist with over 185 stores throughout the country.
The Edinburgh-based retailer and manufacturer has already helped over 1 million smokers in the UK quit since it was established in 2012.
VPZ’s specialist team is NCSCT trained (National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training) and has expert knowledge, engaging with smokers to educate them on the health and financial benefits of switching to vaping.
Information on the UK Government’s Smoke-Free by 2030 plans can be found here: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2017/06/16/our-ambition-for-a-smokefree-nation-is-in-sight
Contact
Paul Smith / paul.smith@vpz.co.uk / +44 7483 924 407
