The question of whether vape packaging should be standardised is back in the headlines, following recent research that suggests it may deter younger people from trying vapes.
The regulation of packaging was first raised by the Tory Government as part of its aim to tackle youth vaping. The current Labour Government is currently looking at various regulatory options and packaging standardisation is one of them.
While the introduction of plain packaging remains at a proposal stage, it is important to consider the ramifications in detail. Explore what standardised packaging it might mean for vapers, business owners and the industry as a whole.
What is plain packaging and why is it being proposed?
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is currently working its way through parliament and aims to aims to create a smoke-free generation, primarily by banning tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. The Bill may also include powers to regulate elements of the vaping industry, such as flavours and packaging, as well as the display of vapes and nicotine products in shops.
A recent study led by researchers at University College London and King’s College London and published in The Lancet claimed that the introduction of plain packaging for vapes could reduce the number of children who take up vaping. Plain packaging is taken to mean the removal of things like brand logos, or restrictions for those logos, and standardised, neutral colours across all as well as the inclusion of mandatory warning labels.
Earlier this year, the Government introduced the current Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which could include discussion around regulation to standardise vape packaging. The Bill was first announced in the King’s Speech in November 2023. This followed the opening of the Government consultation ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’ which opened in October 2023 and closed in December of the same year.
In March 2024, a Bill seeking new powers to regulate vape packaging was introduced to Parliament. Following the election of the Labour Government, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill progressed to the House of Lords in March 2025.
Should the Government decide to introduce regulations around vape packaging, the aim would be to discourage young people from purchasing vapes.
Why does the plain packaging proposal matter?
There are a number of ways that plain packaging could have a major effect on vaping, should it come into play.
Brand identity
For a start, packaging in the vape industry can help to a build brand identity up that impacts customer recognition. Vaping brands often rely on bright colours for visual appeal and as a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Distinctive packaging is a way to stand out in a saturated market, both online and in-store. The introduction of plain packaging regulations could have an impact on brand marketing strategies, with manufacturers looking for other ways to set themselves apart from the competition.
Brand recognition and illicit vapes
Importantly, the introduction of plain packaging may have an unintended effect, in that it could make it harder for vapers to identify trusted and reliable brands. The clear and recognisable packaging and logos from legitimate brands offering safe and high-quality products could become Indistinguishable from illicit vapes. At Evapo, we are firmly in support of stricter regulations for shops and sellers to help crack down on black market vapes.
Perpetuation of false beliefs about vaping
It is also worth considering the fact that many smokers wrongly believe that vaping is at least as harmful as smoking and that a change in packaging regulations could help reinforce this false assumption. By lessening the distinction between vaping products and tobacco products, standardised packaging could further perpetuate the misbelief and deter people from using vapes as a smoking cessation aid. This raises the question of whether the benefits from a youth prevention standpoint outweigh the possible negative effect on current smokers and vapers.
Effectiveness of plain packaging
There is also the fact that while plain packaging may act as a deterrent to young people, there are questions around whether it is necessary in addition to the other steps that have been taken, or proposed, which may be much more effective. For example, the single-use vape ban has already resulted in significant changes (read our post on the impact of the disposable vape ban for more). While vaping products duty, increased enforcement for those establishments selling to minors, and a vape licensing scheme could also make a big difference.
Who would benefit from plain packaging?
The potential introduction of plain packaging is driven by the desire to reduce interest in trying vapes for young people, without affecting adults. While there is research to suggest that plain packaging does reduce interest for young people, current studies also suggest that smokers and vapers may actually be negatively affected by the change.
Those who campaign for stricter vaping regulations could benefit by a change to plain packaging, as it is more closely aligned to current tobacco regulations. However, this could also create a false connection between vapes and cigarettes. The sale of tobacco is a completely separate industry and connecting the two doesn’t align with the anti-smoking message that is central to the vaping industry.
There is also the potential for larger and more recognisable vaping brands to benefit from the introduction of standardised packaging. Customers may end up choosing well-known brands such as Elf Bar or Vaporesso over other, smaller brands that previously may have stood out due to branding.
What does the research say?
The study, which was carried out in collaboration with Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and Brighton and Sussex Medical School researchers, involved 2,770 children and just under 4,000 adults. It came to the conclusion that standardised packaging and limiting flavour descriptors reduced youth appeal but had minimal effect on adults’ interest or harm perception.
KCL reported that the report’s lead author, Dr Eve Taylor, based at UCL’s Department of Behavioural Science & Health, said, “Vape packaging and flavour regulations need to strike a delicate balance. They must aim to deter young people and people who do not smoke, while at the same time avoid discouraging people who smoke from using vaping to quit.”
However, the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) raised the fact that the research did not fully explore or take into account the opinions of adults who currently vaped or smoked in their interpretation of the results. The study found that “adults who currently smoked had significantly greater odds of reporting that they would not be interested in trying vaping products in standardised packaging with usual flavour descriptors” and “adults who currently vaped had significantly greater odds of reporting that they would not be interested in trying vaping products with standardised packaging with usual flavour descriptors”.
This suggests that plain packaging had little effect on adults’ interest in vapes unless they currently vape or smoke, which is a crucial factor when considering vaping as stop smoking aid. It is also important to consider that the sample size for 11–17-year-olds that currently vape or smoke is too small (175 and 160 participants respectively) to draw significant conclusions about their perception.
Conclusion
The introduction of plain packaging is currently only a proposed plan and may not come into play. However, if it were to be introduced, it would have a significant impact on the vaping industry and on consumers. Packaging regulations could benefit established brands, who rely less on eye-catching packaging thanks to their strong name recognition, and push smaller brands to shift their marketing strategies.
Standardised packaging may help de-incentivise young people from trying to obtain vapes. It may also accidentally reinforce mistaken beliefs among currently smokers, who wrongly think that vaping is as least as harmful as smoking.
