Press Release
- Major studies and We Vape polling show fruit and dessert flavours are critical tools for adult smokers who successfully quit
- Final call for vapers to have their say
Government plans to force vapes into plain packaging and heavily restrict flavour names will drive people back to smoking and undermine harm reduction, campaigners have warned.
We Vape is urging every adult vaper, retailer and supporter of evidence-based policy to respond to the official consultation on the proposals before it closes on October 2.
We Vape’s own 2024 UK polling found that restricting flavours would have immediate, measurable harm, with 35% of vapers saying they would ignore a ban and continue to buy flavoured products online, from abroad or elsewhere.
Some 11% said they would start smoking or smoke more often. Worryingly, 5% stated they would create their own vapes to get around the rules.
These figures are reinforced by the largest study of its kind. A 2023 survey of 69,233 adult vapers published in the Harm Reduction Journal showed that at the moment they quit smoking:
- Fruit flavours were used by 83.3%
- Dessert / pastry / bakery flavours by 68.0%
- Candy / chocolate / sweet by 44.5%
These non-tobacco flavours were also judged the most helpful for staying off cigarettes.
We Vape founder Mark Oates said:
“The data could not be clearer. Restricting the very flavours that help smokers switch is not child protection – it is a direct threat to adult smokers trying to quit.
Eleven per cent of vapers telling us they would smoke more is not a theoretical risk. It is people returning to the product that kills half of its long-term users.
“This consultation is the last chance for the public to stop ministers making that mistake. Every response counts.
If you have switched from smoking to vaping, or know someone who has, you need to tell the Government what the evidence already shows: these rules will drive people back to cigarettes.”
The Government is consulting on secondary legislation under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill that would introduce plain packaging for vapes, limit devices to white, black or grey, restrict flavour names (banning sweet, dessert and alcohol descriptors), and keep products out of sight in shops.
While the stated aim is to protect children, the same rules will make the safer alternative less effective for the millions of adult smokers who rely on distinctive flavours to stop smoking.
The consultation closes at 11.59pm on October 2.
Visit: https://consultations.dhsc.gov.uk/tobacco-and-vapes-packaging-appearance-and-display
We Vape – Flavour Restriction Polling Data
UK Adult Vapers Survey • Sample size: 601 • 2024
This document contains the full results of the three questions used in the We Vape press release on proposed flavour restrictions. All percentages are based on the total sample of 601 UK adult vapers. Full demographic breakdowns are provided for transparency and fact-checking.
Question 1 – Impact on voting intention
Question: The Government is considering restricting vape flavours and having ‘tobacco flavour’, menthol and a ‘fruit flavour’ only. Would the Government restricting vape flavours make you more or less likely to vote for the Labour party at the next election?
| Response | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Much more likely | 28 | 4.7% |
| Somewhat more likely | 9 | 1.5% |
| Make no difference to my decision | 337 | 56.1% |
| Somewhat less likely | 27 | 4.5% |
| Much less likely | 140 | 23.3% |
| Don’t know | 60 | 10.0% |
| TOTAL | 601 | 100% |
By Gender
| Response | Male (n=210) | Female (n=383) |
|---|---|---|
| Much more likely | 5.2% | 4.4% |
| Somewhat more likely | 2.4% | 0.8% |
| Make no difference | 51.4% | 58.5% |
| Somewhat less likely | 5.7% | 3.7% |
| Much less likely | 30.0% | 20.1% |
| Don’t know | 5.2% | 12.5% |
By Age
| Response | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Much more likely | 10.2% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 2.2% |
| Somewhat more likely | 2.0% | 0.6% | 2.6% | 0.7% | 2.2% |
| Make no difference | 36.7% | 55.8% | 50.3% | 64.1% | 64.1% |
| Somewhat less likely | 12.2% | 6.7% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 0.0% |
| Much less likely | 20.4% | 19.0% | 28.1% | 20.4% | 28.3% |
| Don’t know | 18.4% | 12.9% | 11.1% | 7.0% | 3.3% |
Question 2 – Likelihood of returning to smoking
Question: If the Government were to restrict vape flavours, how likely would you be to go back to smoking within the next 12 months?
| Response | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Highly likely to go back to smoking | 69 | 11.5% |
| Quite likely to go back to smoking | 60 | 10.0% |
| Neither more or less likely | 97 | 16.1% |
| Quite unlikely to go back to smoking | 52 | 8.7% |
| Highly unlikely to go back to smoking | 235 | 39.1% |
| Don’t know | 78 | 13.0% |
| N/A – I’ve never smoked | 10 | 1.7% |
| TOTAL | 601 | 100% |
By Gender
| Response | Male (n=210) | Female (n=383) |
|---|---|---|
| Highly likely | 9.5% | 12.5% |
| Quite likely | 13.8% | 8.1% |
| Neither | 16.7% | 15.4% |
| Quite unlikely | 11.4% | 7.0% |
| Highly unlikely | 39.0% | 39.4% |
| Don’t know | 8.1% | 15.7% |
| N/A – never smoked | 1.4% | 1.8% |
By Age
| Response | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highly likely | 18.4% | 12.3% | 15.7% | 7.7% | 5.4% |
| Quite likely | 10.2% | 13.5% | 8.5% | 6.3% | 10.9% |
| Neither | 14.3% | 16.0% | 17.6% | 15.5% | 15.2% |
| Quite unlikely | 10.2% | 4.9% | 9.8% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Highly unlikely | 24.5% | 33.7% | 34.6% | 47.9% | 51.1% |
| Don’t know | 16.3% | 17.8% | 11.8% | 11.3% | 7.6% |
Question 3 – Most likely action if flavours restricted
Question: The Government is considering restricting vape flavours and having ‘tobacco flavour’, menthol and a ‘fruit flavour’ only. If this were to go ahead, what would you be most likely to do? (Choose one)
| Response | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Quit vaping | 48 | 8.0% |
| Continue vaping with tobacco flavour only | 145 | 24.1% |
| Create your own vapes | 29 | 4.8% |
| Continue to buy flavoured vapes online, from abroad or elsewhere | 213 | 35.4% |
| Start smoking / smoke more often | 65 | 10.8% |
| Don’t know | 101 | 16.8% |
| TOTAL | 601 | 100% |
By Gender
| Response | Male (n=210) | Female (n=383) |
|---|---|---|
| Quit vaping | 8.1% | 7.8% |
| Tobacco flavour only | 28.1% | 21.4% |
| Create your own | 6.7% | 3.9% |
| Buy online / abroad / elsewhere | 35.7% | 35.8% |
| Start smoking / smoke more | 10.0% | 11.2% |
| Don’t know | 11.4% | 19.8% |
By Age
| Response | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quit vaping | 12.2% | 10.4% | 5.9% | 7.7% | 5.4% |
| Tobacco only | 12.2% | 13.5% | 20.3% | 31.7% | 44.6% |
| Create own | 6.1% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 6.3% | 3.3% |
| Buy online/abroad | 38.8% | 34.4% | 41.8% | 34.5% | 25.0% |
| Start smoking more | 16.3% | 16.6% | 9.8% | 4.9% | 8.7% |
| Don’t know | 14.3% | 21.5% | 17.0% | 14.8% | 13.0% |
Notes for journalists / fact-checkers
- Sample: 601 UK adult vapers (self-identified).
- Fieldwork conducted 2024 by Britain in Focus.
- Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to rounding.
- Full regional breakdowns are available on request.
- This data supports the figures cited in the We Vape press release on flavour restrictions.
Further information
Respond to the consultation here:
https://consultations.dhsc.gov.uk/tobacco-and-vapes-packaging-appearance-and-display
Peer reviewed US study:
https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-023-00876-w
Contact
For more information or interviews contact: richard@oismedia.group
Source: We Vape • Polling conducted by Britain in Focus
