Will All Single Use Vapers Choose Refillable Alternatives?

Following the ban on all single-use vapes, the message has been clear that there are refillable, reusable alternatives that are better value for money, more versatile and more enjoyable. Whether that message has been heeded still remains to be seen.

According to data by Talysis as reported by Better Retailing, vape sales dropped by over £5m in the week following the ban, but it is important to bear in mind the context.

Sales were down in no small part due to stockpiling, as people who had become accustomed to particular disposable vape brands took advantage of deep discounts and stock clearance sales in the wake of the ban to build up a supply whilst they figured out what they should use next.

In many cases, there are like-for-like reusable replacements for whichever disposable brand and flavours they want, but is it necessarily the case that all single-use vape users will switch to an exact duplicate with a rechargeable battery and replaceable pod?

Here are some of the possible alternatives that some people may choose instead, and the positives and negatives.

The New Standard Vape

The most likely eventuality is that vape users will switch to a new kind of vape, but whether that will be something similar to what they used to use is not entirely clear.

The history of vaping since the development of the modern e-cigarette in the early 2000s has been focused not only on technological generations but cultural shifts from product to product.

From the first generation of cigalikes to larger box mods that legitimised vaping as something separate from smoking to smaller pod mod devices that no longer resembled cigarettes to disposable devices, vaping has always been about change.

Now that single-use vapes are banned, it is possible that big puff devices or small-tank refillable vapes could act as a largely like-for-like replacement, but it could also be possible that an entirely new type of vape will take over.

Regardless, it will take some time for the market to realign and the future of vaping becomes clear.

Nicotine Pouches

Also known as snus, although that particular term is more commonly used to describe tobacco pouches, nicotine pouches are small pouches that are placed between the gum and the lip and slowly deliver nicotine and flavourings over time.

In practice, they are closer to nicotine gum or pouches than vapes, as the nicotine is delivered slowly over time rather than in intensive puffs as and when they are needed. This also makes them different to earlier smoke-free nicotine products such as Favor.

According to data published by Talking Retail, nicotine pouches doubled in popularity in no small part because they are more discreet.

The overall effects of nicotine pouches will become more clear as they increase in popularity, but snus are of particular concern due to their tobacco content and the risks inherent in consuming tobacco of any kind.

It is possible that nicotine pouches will become popular, particularly if existing bans on smoking are extended to vaping, but it remains to be seen what the future holds for an emerging market.

Heat Not Burn Tobacco

One concern that has been voiced is that overly aggressive restrictions on vapes, particularly in combination with contradictory rhetoric regarding their benefits in the battle against smoking, could convince some people who made the switch for their health to return to cigarettes.

Another potentially concerning development would be if single-use vapers opted for heated tobacco products, which were last in the news following a BBC expose that revealed they had been marketed in supermarkets in what appeared to be in violation of the spirit of existing tobacco advertising laws.

In the wake of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill it remains to be seen if heated tobacco becomes a replacement product for disposable vapes, but judging by their comparative risks it can only be seen as a step backwards.

Quitting Vaping

Some people who have a particular love for a specific product may use the ban as an impetus to quit entirely, and there are a few avenues and strategies that they could take.

In some cases, they might use their stockpile until it runs out and gradually reduce their usage until they do not need to buy a replacement, whilst in other cases they might opt for alternative nicotine replacement therapy products such as lozenges, patches or gum.

All of these approaches are effective with the help of professional support and a strong support network, and the ban of a particular favourite product could be the impetus to stop entirely.