UK Vape Flavours and Packaging: The 2026 Consultation Explained

Last update: 14/07/2026

The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April. On 10 July, the government started using it. A UK-wide consultation is now open on vape packaging, flavour names, device colours and how vapes can be displayed in shops. It closes on 2 October 2026.

Nothing on shelves changes while the consultation is running. Every nicotine vape on sale in the UK still has to follow the rules already in place. But we now know exactly what the government wants to do, and some of it goes further than most people expected.

For the full picture on disposables, age-of-sale laws, public-place rules and the new vaping duty, our main UK vaping laws guide covers everything. This article focuses on flavours and packaging, and what the new proposals would mean for both.

This is what's happening with vape flavours and packaging in 2026:

• Flavours are still legal. Fruit, dessert, candy, soda, menthol and tobacco flavours are all still on sale, and nothing changes during the consultation.

• A UK-wide consultation opened on 10 July 2026 and closes on 2 October 2026. It proposes plain white packaging, single-word flavour names, and vape devices limited to white, black or grey.

   

• The consultation covers flavour names, not flavour ingredients. A separate decision on whether to restrict the flavours themselves may come later.

   

• Nicotine pouches and other nicotine products are included in the packaging and display proposals, not just vapes.

   

The rest of this guide explains each of these points, what applies right now, what could happen next, and what each scenario would actually mean for the flavours and devices on shelves.

What the consultation proposes for flavour names

What the consultation proposes: packaging, devices and display

The consultation is the first time the government has acted on the powers available in the Tobacco and Vapes Act. There is now a published set of proposals, and they cover more than most people expected.

White packaging, not brown

The proposal is white packaging for all vaping and nicotine products. That includes the box your vape kit comes in, e-liquids, refill containers, and components like coils and mouthpieces sold separately. No imagery, no logos, and all text in a standard colour, font and typeface. No promotional features either, so no vouchers, discounts or social media links on the pack.

Pack shapes would be standardised too, with a ban on materials that make it look more appealing. That means no glossy plastics, no holographic foils, and no velvety or texured features.

There will be a distinction between tobacco and vape packaging. Tobacco packaging would move to Pantone 448C, the drab dark brown already on cigarette packs. Vape packaging would be white. The consultation says that white was chosen to reflect the evidence that vaping and nicotine alternatives areless harmful than tobacco. It shows the government is creating a visible difference between tobacco and tobacco-free nicotine products.

Devices in white, black or grey

Devices would be affected as well. Vape kits would be limited to white, black or grey, with one colour per device, a matt finish and no variation in shade. So no gradients, no patterns and no two-tone designs.

Features would be limited to practical details. Functional lights like charge indicators are allowed, but cosmetic lights would go. And screens could only show safety and status information like battery level, no animations, no games. Devices shaped like pens, water bottles or games would be banned. Tanks can stay partially transparant so you can see how much e-liquid is left. Branding would be limited to a single brand name in a set font, size and colour.

A lot of this is based on a 2025 study by UCL, King's College London, ASH and Brighton & Sussex Medical School. Published in Lancet Regional Health - Europe, it found that interest in trying vapes among young people dropped from 53% to 38% once branded packaging was standardised. Adult interest was hardly affected. This study is part of the government's evidence base.

Vapes come off open display

Another proposal is to take vaping and nicotine products off open display in shops throughout the UK. You'd still be able to ask to see a product before buying, but it would be shown on request from behind the counter, the same way cigarettes have been sold since the display ban.

The maximum visible area would be 1.5 square metres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 0.1 square metres in Scotland. Price lists would still be allowed, and for vaping products they could include nicotine strength and ingredients to help people choose.

The most alarming proposal for retailers is there's no exemption for vape shops. Specialist tobacconists keep their existing display exemption, but dedicated vape stores would have to follow the same isplay rules as every other shop. The one exemption the government is asking about is a limited one for pharmacies, on the basis that they're clinical settings where someone might buy a vape as part of stopping smoking.

When any of this would happen

Non of this will happen quickly. The consultation closes on 2 nctober 2026, then the government will respond and regulations will follow. After that, the proposals include a minmum 12 month notice period for packaging and device changes, and a minmum of 6 months for display changes. This will only start once the final details have been confirmed following the consultation process.

If you take all that into account, it looks like packaging changes won't reach shelves before 2028. Display restrictions could arrive sooner, since shops can rearrange a counter faster than manufacturers can redesign a product line. The governmenthas also said it intends to bring in this legislation in stages by 2029. This means the changes could come in waves rather than all at once.

What's actually legal right now

UK vape law in 2026 is still governed by the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (Most people just call it TRPR). Until ministers use the new powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Act, TRPR is what every nicotine vape on the UK market has to follow.

Under TRPR, these are the main rules around flavours, packaging and labelling.

Pods, tanks and bottles

• E-liquid vaping tanks and pods are capped at 2ml maximum.

• Nicotine containing refill bottles capped at 10ml maximum.

• Nicotine strength capped at 20mg/ml, anything stronger is illegal in the UK.

Flavours

• There’s currently no flavour ban in place, so fruit, dessert and candy flavours are still legal to sell.

• Packaging can't make health claims, and any food imagery on a pack must match the actual flavour profile or ingredient.

• Flavour names themselves have to follow advertising rules, more on that in a bit.

Packaging and labelling

• Child-resistant and tamper-evident packaging is mandatory on every nicotine product.

• Health warnings cover at least 30% of the front and back.

• Required text includes "This product contains nicotine which is highly addictive" and "Keep out of reach of children"

• Full ingredient list, in descending order by weight.

• Manufacturer or distributor contact details on pack.

Banned ingredients

No food colourings, no caffeine, no taurine, no vitamins. Products also can’t suggest stimulant-style effects such as energy boosts.

MHRA notification

Every product has to be registered with the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) at least six months before it can be sold. It only hits the shelf once it appears on the public register. New flavour, new pack size, new strength, every version needs its own notification.

Aside from the disposable ban, most of these rules have been in place for years. What’s changed is the government now has broader powers to tighten restrictions later on.

The consultation doesn't change any of this. TRPR stays in force until new regulations are made, and that process hasn't started yet.

The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026: What powers, what timeline

The Tobacco and Vapes Act became law on 29 April 2026 after passing through both Houses of Parliament. The Act also covers tobacco sales, advertising and retail licensing. It brings in the generational tobacco sales ban, which stops tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 from 1 January 2027. It also brings in a UK-wide ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, plus a new licensing scheme for tobacco and nicotine retailers.

For flavours and packaging specifically, the Act creates powers for future restrictions such as:

• Restrict or ban vape flavours.

• Set rules around flavour names and descriptions.

• Standardise packaging colours, shapes, imagery and design.

• Restrict or ban point-of-sale displays designed to appeal to children.

The first consultation for these restrictions is now open.

Each of these powers needs secondary legislation to come in. And any changes have to go through public consultation first. So while the Tobacco and Vapes Act is now law, the actual day-to-day rules for retailers and consumers haven’t changed yet.

Two important upcoming dates in 2026:

• 29 October 2026: Sales of non-nicotine vapes and other nicotine products to under-18s become illegal.

• 1 October 2026: The new Vaping Products Duty takes effect at £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid, including nicotine-free products.

• 2 October 2026: The packaging, appearance and display consultation closes. A government response will follow, then regulations, then an implementation period.

The government intends to pass legilation on the flavour and packaging restriction proposals in stages, during the course of this Pariliament, by 2029.

We set out three scenarios in May, here's the one the government chose, and what each option could look like if it were introduced.

The important thing to understand is that this restricts what a flavour can be called, not what it can taste like. A cola-flavoured e-liquid could still exist under these rules. It just couldn't say cola on the pack. Whether the flavours themselves get restricted is a separate decision. The government gathered evidence on flavour ingredients in late 2025 and has said it may consult on those later. So the full ban and restricted list scenarios haven't gone away. They've just started with naming rules first.

Advertising rules already affecting flavour names

While the flavour bans everyone's worried about are still up for consultation, there's already regulation that limits what UK vape products can be called and how they can be packaged. It’s the CAP Code (for non-broadcast advertising) and the BCAP Code (for broadcast), both enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority.

Section 22 of the CAP Code is the bit that applies to electronic cigarettes. It bans marketing that:

• Particularly appeals to under-18s, especially through youth-culture references.

• Features people who appear to be under 25, or characters likely to appeal to under-18s, including cartoons, fictional characters and youth icons.

• Portrays users behaving in an "adolescent or juvenile manner".

• Glamorises smoking or makes health claims about vaping.

That's the formal code. In reality, the ASA and Trading Standards have used these rules to challenge:

• Flavour names mimicking confectionery: "Gummy Bear", "Bubblegum", "Skittles-style". Names that resemble sweets or confectionery are already more likely to attract scrutiny.

• Packaging using bright cartoon imagery that resembles soft drinks, sweets or children's products.

• Influencer content featuring presenters who look under-25 or use youth-culture language.

Summary: What this means for you

If you're a vaper. Nothing changes yet. Flavours stay on sale and the products on shelves are the same ones that were there in June. The realistic timeline is a government response in late 2026 or 2027, regulations after that, then at least 12 months for manufacturers to comply. The bigger change this year is still the £2.20 per 10ml vape duty from 1 October.

If you're a retailer. The guesswork phase is over. You now know what the government wants: white packs, single-word flavour names, grey devices and no open display. Two things are worth doing before 2 October. First, respond to the consultation. It's open to businesses and individuals, and the survey takes real views on implementation periods and exemptions. Second, map your range against the descriptor rules specifically. Any line whose name is a blend, a concept or a dessert would need relabelling, and your suppliers will be having those conversations already.

We’ll update this guide as soon as we hear more. Bookmark it, or check back ahead of any product range or buying decisions. If you're new to UK vape laws, our UK vaping regulations guide is the place to start.

If the new vape duty has you thinking about what vaping actually costs day to day, our guide to vaping costs in the UK breaks it down.

Sources

• Tobacco and Vapes Bill becomes law — gov.uk
• Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 — UK Parliament
• Tobacco and vapes: packaging, appearance and display consultation — gov.uk
• Ministers launch crackdown on vapes targeting kids — gov.uk
• Respond to the consultation (online survey) — DHSC
• Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 — legislation.gov.uk
• E-cigarettes: regulations for consumer products — gov.uk
• MHRA E-cigarette and Vape Products Guidance Hub — gov.uk
• CAP Code Section 22 (Electronic cigarettes) — ASA/CAP
• Single-use vapes banned 1 June 2025 — gov.uk
• Plain packaging may help tackle teen vaping — UCL News
• Standardised packaging on vapes reduces appeal to teenagers — KCL News
• Tattan-Birch et al. (2025) — The Lancet Regional Health – Europe