More disposable vape bans on the way for Europe
Only three EU countries have banned disposable vapes so far, but that number looks certain to grow soon, according to new analysis by ECigIntelligence.
Belgium, France and Bulgaria have already implemented nationwide bans on disposable vapes – as has the UK, Europe’s largest vape market.
Austria and Ireland are expected to follow soon, and Germany, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, Latvia and Slovenia are all debating similar legislation.
“While only a handful of countries have introduced bans to date, the legislative momentum has clearly not died down,” said Tim Phillips, founder of ECigIntelligence and its parent company Tamarind Intelligence. “Governments across Europe are viewing disposable vapes as a specific regulatory target. This a continent-wide policy trend, not just a series of isolated national decisions.”
Proposals to prohibit disposable devices are being driven primarily by concerns over youth use, alongside criticism of the environmental impact created by single-use electronic products containing batteries and plastics.
Manufacturers, distributors and retailers are all affected.
“The pace of policy change means businesses operating across multiple European markets need to monitor legislative developments closely,” said Phillips.
“While disposable bans currently only exist in a minority of countries, it’s clear that they could happen anywhere. Progress toward new Europe-wide legislation on e-cigarette products may be glacial, but at national level these prohibitions can be introduced quite quickly and with little real political opposition.”
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