Vape UK, a specialist nicotine retailer, has conducted a survey of vapers to gather their opinions on proposed changes to packaging, including plain packaging. The survey, which involved 4,000 people, found that 55% of respondents believed plain packaging would make it harder or riskier to find and buy the right products, such as flavors or strengths.
According to the survey, 7% of respondents said they would likely return to smoking if plain packaging rules were implemented. Using estimates from campaign group ASH, Vape UK calculated that approximately 385,000 people could return to cigarettes if the plan went ahead.
Based on research by the University of York, adjusted for inflation, these “returning smokers” could result in an additional £5.8bn in lifetime NHS costs. Half of the survey respondents identified as ex-smokers, and half of them stated that restricted point-of-sale materials would make it harder to shop for vape products in stores.
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Chris Page, co-founder of Vape UK, noted that “over half of respondents told us new packaging restrictions would put them at risk of buying the wrong product, and some said it would push them towards other options, including cigarettes.” He urged the government to consider the progress made in helping people move away from smoking before making changes to packaging requirements.
Vape UK plans to conduct two more customer surveys on vaping before the consultation on the scheme closes on 2 October. They argue that the findings point to a policy that could do more harm than good, particularly for ex-smokers who have switched to vaping.
