- Proposals include plain packaging, shop display restrictions
and limits on flavour names
- All four UK nations are consulting together on new rules for
vaping products
- Public and businesses asked to have their say before October
2
Welsh Government along with other Governments from across the UK
are asking for views on new rules aimed at making vaping products
less attractive to children and young people.
Data shows that over a quarter of 1116 year olds in Wales have
tried a vape and almost 7% are vaping weekly. Among 16-year-olds
specifically, over 45% have tried a vape and weekly use is 16%.
The plans being consulted on would require vaping and nicotine
product packaging to be plain white, therefore banning colourful
branding and imagery, and limit flavour names to single,
recognised terms like Apple' ending names such as "Cosmic Fog" or
"Cotton Candy".
The consultation also proposes restricting shops from displaying
vaping products openly so that vaping and nicotine products must
be kept behind a sales counter, in the same way tobacco products
are currently handled.
Price lists would still be permitted and may include information
on nicotine strength and ingredients to help adult consumers make
informed choices.
The proposals aim to reduce youth vaping while continuing to
enable adults who wish to use vaping products to quit smoking.
Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are consulting on
proposals under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.
Deputy Minister for Preventative and Public Health said: The rise of
the number of children and young people trying and regularly
using vapes in Wales is a real concern and one which we are
determined to tackle.
"They are being deliberately designed and marketed to appeal to
children - with bright colours, cartoon branding and
sweet-sounding flavour names that have no place in products
containing addictive nicotine. It is simply unacceptable.
These proposals would strip away the gimmicks that make vaping
attractive to young people.
I urge everyone - the public, parents, health professionals,
teachers, businesses to have their say before October 2.
Together, we can take a big step in protecting our children's
health."
Wales has previously led the way in the UK on introducing
smoke-free measures. It has already passed laws to restrict
smoking in outdoor public spaces including hospital grounds,
school grounds and public playgrounds to help ensure that people,
especially children, are not exposed to harmful second-hand
smoke.
Chief Medical Officer for Wales Isabel Oliver
said: The leading health risk to children and young
people from vaping and nicotine products is addiction. These
proposals have the power to prevent future generations of young
people from becoming addicted to vaping and nicotine products,
which can have significant impacts on their health and wellbeing.
The consultation is open to the public, businesses, retailers,
health professionals and anyone with an interest in public
health. It will close on October 2.
Notes to editors
- The consultation covers three main areas: packaging of
tobacco, vaping and nicotine products; the appearance of vaping
and heated tobacco devices; and shop display restrictions.
- The policy approach is aligned across England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, though some sections of the
consultation differ due to existing devolved legislation.
- Display restrictions for products (including vapes) in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland would allow a maximum visible
area of 1.5 square metres for requested temporary or incidental
displays.
- Single-use disposable vapes were banned for sale and supply
across the UK on 1 June 2025.
