The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a proposed series of new regulations that is currently being considered by parliament. The Bill’s main aims include creating a smoke-free generation and introducing new licensing and enforcement measures for tobacco and vaping products. It is also looking at ways vape flavours, packing and branding may be regulated as a way to reduce their appeal to young people.
First introduced to Parliament on 20 March 2024, the Bill returned to the Lords for debate in April and May 2025 and returned for consideration in October 2025. It is currently in the Committee Stage and vape flavours are among the various issues under discussion.
A change to the regulations around vape flavours could have far reaching effects for businesses and vapers, dive in to our handy guide to find out more.
What does the Tobacco and Vapes Bill propose for vape flavours?
The current Labour Government opened a call for evidence seeking further information to support policy development on tobacco, vapes and nicotine products between 8 October 2025 and 3 December 2025. It asked for expert views on a variety of topics with a focus on potential new rules for retailers selling tobacco, vapes and nicotine products. Proposals included improved enforcement to support legitimate businesses and crack down on rogue retailers, as well as expert views on vape flavours.
As part of this call, the Government asked for more information about substances and ingredients used to create flavours in vapes and nicotine products. This suggests that the Bill could potentially restrict certain flavours of vapes, especially those which have been mentioned as a concern due to the fact they might appeal to the younger market, with a focus on sweet flavours such as desserts, candies and similar.
The fact that the new call for evidence specifies looking at the substances and ingredients used to create flavours could indicate another facet to the restrictions being considered, meaning there is potential for them to expand beyond the taste itself and into flavour production.
These proposed restrictions are still in consideration, however, and have not yet been confirmed.
The Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) welcomed the call for evidence when it was announced, saying that these calls are typically used to gather technical expertise or specialist knowledge. It is hoped that a full and rounded picture has been shared with the Government.
What could this mean for the vaping industry?
There are several potential consequences to consider:
Reduced flavour ranges
Should the number of vape flavours be reduced due to restrictions, it could result in the market shifting to a simpler or a reduced variety of flavours. This could ultimately change the way brands create and promote products, and result in smaller ranges for e-liquids and prefilled pods.
Increased e-liquid costs
The change could also result in cost increases, as manufacturers change their business models. This would have a knock-on effect for vape brands and stores as well as for consumers.
Fewer flavours to support ex-smokers
Having a wide range of flavour options at their disposal can be a handy tool for smokers who are looking to make the transition from smoking to vaping. Restricting the flavour options may make vaping a less viable or appealing alternative for people considering it as a way to support their stop smoking journey.
A rise in smoking
The introduction of flavour bans in other countries has frequently resulted in an unwelcome side effect – a rise in smoking. After flavour bans were introduced in Estonia, smoking rates increased by almost 40%, for instance. Discover more examples in our guide to flavour bans in the UK.
A growth in illicit offerings
It is also possible that, if vape flavours are restricted for reputable sellers, we may see consumers turn to the illicit market to find the flavours they prefer.
What is next when it comes to vape flavours?
The plans for a new Bill were first announced in October 2023, following the Government’s consultation ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’. The plans have since been adapted by the current Labour Government and has been progressing through the House of Lords. If the Bill is voted through parliament as expected, it is then expected to receive Royal Assent during 2026.
One of the key elements of the Bill is to introduce a generational smoking ban that will attempt to stop youth smoking by introducing a new law that will the raise the age of sale by one year every year from 2027. This will effectively ban tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
Many of the other potential restrictions and regulations that are currently being considered as part of the Bill are designed to support the overall aim of creating a smoke-free generation.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is seeking new powers to regulate, but this does not mean that any restrictions on vape flavours will come from the Bill itself. Currently, due to the fact that vapes are still a relatively new product, the Government does not have the powers in place to be able to bring the restrictions specific to vaping products into place. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is only currently seeking the powers to regulate on the proposed actions.
Any restrictions will need to be passed in their own right and will be subject to further consultation and debate. This means that we do not yet know when or if these regulations will be brought in. This also means that there will be plenty of opportunity for experts, authorities, and even the public to weigh in on the proposed regulations to help ensure a balanced approach which will not only help to protect young people but also consider the needs of current smokers and vapers.
Other measures are also under consideration, such as the introduction of plain packaging and increased enforcement for establishments found illegally selling to minors. Following the recent call for evidence, the Government also plans to launch a separate consultation at a later date on proposals including:
- smoke-free, vape-free and heated tobacco-free places
- rules on the display of products
- restrictions to elements of devices such as branding and colour
- the packaging of tobacco products
- the packaging of vape and nicotine products
Conclusion
At present there are not really any solid answers as to whether any vape flavour restrictions will be in the UK, or what those restrictions would look like. While we can speculate based on the information already provided in the Bill, and the information the Government has been seeking in their call for evidence, there is still a lot of time for these proposed regulations to change and evolve. The team here at Evapo will continue to monitor the timeline and ensure that all of our readers are up to date with important information.
Sources
Bill.parliment.uk – 27/11/2025
Ibvta.org.uk – 08/10/2025
Worldvapersalliance.com – 27/06/2024
Gov.uk – 12/02/2024
Gov.uk – 08/12/2025 (last checked)
