The UK government and devolved administrations are consulting on a wide-ranging package of measures aimed at reducing the appeal of vaping products to children and young people. The proposals include plain white packaging for vapes, restrictions on flavour descriptions, limits on device designs and a ban on displaying vaping products in shops. 

The consultation follows the passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 and forms part of the government's broader ambition to create a "smoke-free generation" while ensuring vaping products remain available as a smoking cessation aid for adults.

What is being proposed?

The consultation seeks views on several measures designed to reduce the attractiveness of vapes and other nicotine products to young people. These include:

• plain white packaging for vaping products, with restrictions on colours, imagery, branding and product information;
• limiting flavour names to simple descriptions such as "Apple", while banning confectionery, dessert, alcohol and other youth-appealing flavour names;
• requiring vape devices to be manufactured only in white, black or grey, with restrictions on branding, lights and screen functionality; and
• restricting the display of vaping products in retail environments in a similar way to tobacco products. 

The government says the proposals are intended to address evidence that colourful packaging, prominent displays and appealing flavour descriptions have contributed to growing experimentation with vaping among children and teenagers. 

Wider restrictions on tobacco products

Alongside the vaping proposals, the consultation also includes further tobacco control measures.

These would extend existing plain packaging requirements beyond cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco to all tobacco products, including cigars and cigarette papers. The government is also considering:

• new health warnings across all tobacco products;
• quit-support inserts inside tobacco product packaging;
• extending display restrictions to a wider range of tobacco-related products; and
• removing existing display exemptions for duty-free shops, airports and other bulk tobacconists.

Part of a broader regulatory programme

This consultation follows the ban on single-use vapes that came into force in June 2025 and precedes a series of further restrictions, including:

• the introduction of a Vaping Products Duty from 1 October 2026;
• bans on vape vending machine sales and free distribution from 29 October 2026; and
• a prohibition on vape advertising and sponsorship from 1 June 2027.

Industry reaction

Health bodies and anti-smoking organisations have broadly welcomed the proposals. However, several have emphasised the need to strike an appropriate balance between reducing youth uptake and preserving vape products as an important tool for adults seeking to quit smoking.

Businesses involved in the vaping supply chain should therefore consider responding to the consultation and assessing the potential commercial and compliance implications now. Key areas for review include packaging, branding strategies, flavour descriptors, product design and retail display practices.

The consultation ends on 2 October 2026.