Vaping Statistics
Since the latter part of the 2010s, vaping has accelerated in popularity, going from a niche cigarette alternative to a mainstream pastime enjoyed by millions in the UK and beyond.
With the public becoming increasingly interested in healthier alternatives to smoking, the popularity of vaping has continued to grow year-on-year, with YouGov data from Action on Smoking Health (ASH) finding that 5.6 million UK adults vaped in 2024. This equates to roughly 11% of the adult population.
But how much is the vaping industry worth in the UK? This page will analyse all the key vaping statistics driving the market, including industry figures, the average cost of vaping, how long a vape lasts, and many more vaping facts and stats.
Contents
- Vaping Market Statistics
- UK Vaping Industry Statistics
- Vape Usage Statistics
- Vaping Demographic Statistics
- Which age group has the most vapers?
- What are the vaping habits of different age groups?
- Which gender vapes the most?
- What are the differences in vaping habits between men and women?
- Do younger women vape more than men?
- What is the financial status of most vapers?
- What is the current smoking status of most vapers?
- Vape Shop Statistics
- Best-Selling Vape Statistics
- Attitudes and Opinions of Vapers in the UK
- FAQs
- Glossary
- Sources and Methodology
Top 10 Most Important Vaping Statistics for 2024
- The global e-cigarette industry is projected to be worth £20.4 billion by the end of 2024—up nearly 4% from 2023.
- The UK e-cigarette industry is expected to be worth £3.2 billion by the end of 2024—up more than 5% from 2023.
- Vuse has the biggest share of the global vape market, at 29%—5% more than any other brand.
- Elf Bar dominates the UK vaping market, holding a 70% market share—five times more than any other brand.
- The average price of a disposable vape in the UK is £6.84.
- The typical vaper has approximately 365 puffs per day.
- The average vaper spends around £713 per year on vaping—less than a quarter of the typical smoker who spends over £3,000.
- Around three-tenths (29.9%) of UK vapers are aged between 35 and 44—over 6% more than any other age group.
- The majority of vapers in the UK are male, with men making up 51.5% of the overall total.
- Mr Blue is the most searched-for vape flavour online, with average monthly searches reaching more than 1,250.
Vaping Market Statistics
How much is the UK vaping/e-cigarette industry worth?
Analysis of vaping stats shows that the UK vaping market is projected to be worth just under £3.2 billion by the end of 2024—a rise of over 5% from 2023. The UK industry has risen steadily in value since 2018, when it was worth just under £2 billion.
The value of the UK e-cigarette industry, 2018-29
| Year | Overall Value of the UK E-Cigarette Industry | Percentage Increase from the Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | £2.2b | 15.80% |
| 2020 | £2.3b | 4.50% |
| 2021 | £2.6b | 13.00% |
| 2022 | £2.8b | 7.70% |
| 2023 | £3.0b | 7.10% |
| 2024* | £3.1b | 3.30% |
| 2025* | £3.2b | 3.20% |
| 2026* | £3.2b | 0.00% |
| 2027* | £3.3b | 3.10% |
| 2028* | £3.4b | 3.00% |
| 2029* | £3.5b | 2.90% |
Source: Statista | *Projected figures
The UK vaping market saw consecutive rises between 7% and 8% in 2022 and 2023, with growth projected to drop below 4% in 2024. Though the industry is expected to continue growing, this is expected to be slower than in previous years, with anticipated rises of less than 7% between 2024 and 2027.
If the projected 2029 figure of £3.5 billion proves correct, it will mean that the value of the UK vaping industry nearly doubled between 2018 and 2029 (+84.2%) and rose by just under a tenth (+9.4%) from 2024 to 2029.
It’s worth noting, however, that these projections were made before the UK government announced the upcoming disposable vape ban, which will come into effect on 1 June 2025. This could have a significant impact on sales, revenue, and market value as many people adjust to new buying habits.
How much is the global vaping/e-cigarette industry worth?
The latest vaping statistics found that the global e-cigarette industry is projected to be worth £20.4 billion by the end of 2024. This represents an increase of nearly 4% (3.6%) from 2023, marking the first time industry value has exceeded £20 billion worldwide.
The value of the global e-cigarette industry, 2018-29
| Year | Overall Value of the Global E-Cigarette Industry | Percentage Increase from the Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | £13.9b | +16.8% |
| 2020 | £14.2b | +2.2% |
| 2021 | £14.9b | +4.9% |
| 2022 | £18.3b | +22.8% |
| 2023 | £19.7b | +7.7% |
| 2024* | £20.4b | +3.6% |
| 2025* | £21b | +2.9% |
| 2026* | £21.3b | +1.4% |
| 2027* | £21.6b | +1.4% |
| 2028* | £22.1b | +2.3% |
| 2029* | £22.3b | +0.9% |
Source: Statista | *Projected figures
The value of the vaping industry has risen steeply since 2018, when it was worth just under £12 billion. A nearly 17% rise in 2019 took the industry value to £13.9 billion, with this figure accelerating to £18.3 billion by 2022—almost a third (31.7%) higher than in 2019.
According to projected figures, growth is expected to slow after 2024, with the global value reaching £21 billion in 2025 and increasing only slightly past £22 billion by 2028.
If the projected 2029 figure of £22.3 billion proves to be correct, it will mean that the global vaping industry nearly doubled in value between 2018 and 2029 (+87.4%). Additionally, this would represent a growth of just under a tenth (+9.3%) in the five years between 2024 and 2029.
What is the average revenue per capita for the UK vaping industry?
The UK vaping industry is expected to generate an average revenue of almost £52 per capita in 2024, representing a rise of over 4% from 2023. The average revenue per capita for UK vaping has accelerated since 2018, when the figure stood at just £32.71.
From here, the industry climbed by over a tenth (13.4%) in 2019, before jumping a further 5.3% in 2020. An increase of just over 11% would see revenue per capita exceed £40 for the first time in 2021, with this figure reaching £46.83 the following year (+7.9%).
The average revenue per capita for the UK vaping industry, 2018-29
| Year | Average Revenue Per Capita for the UK E-Cigarette Industry |
|---|---|
| 2018 | £32.71 |
| 2019 | £37.11 |
| 2020 | £39.06 |
| 2021 | £43.39 |
| 2022 | £46.83 |
| 2023 | £49.61 |
| 2024* | £51.65 |
| 2025* | £53.09 |
| 2026* | £53.23 |
| 2027* | £53.68 |
| 2028* | £54.82 |
| 2029* | £55.88 |
Source: Statista | *Projected figures
According to projected figures, the increase in average revenue per capita is expected to slow after 2024, rising just 2.8% in 2025 and less than 0.3% in 2026. A projected 4.1% jump between 2027 and 2029 is expected to see the UK vaping industry reach an industry per capita of £55.88—over 8% higher than in 2024.
If these figures prove to be correct, the UK vaping industry's average revenue per capita will rise by nearly three quarters (70.8%) between 2018 and 2029.
These projections were published before the UK government announced legislation to ban disposable vapes. The ban is due to come into place from the 1st of June 2025 and could significantly affect sales and revenue while companies and customers adjust to new purchasing habits.
Which companies have the biggest share of the global vaping market?
The most recent vaping statistics from March 2024 show that the biggest two vaping companies worldwide were responsible for over half (53%) of the global market in 2022.
American brand Vuse had the biggest market share, occupying over a quarter (29%) of the global market, with the Chinese-owned Elf Bar holding 24%.
The biggest vaping companies globally by market share
Two other American brands held the second and third biggest market shares, with blu and Juul responsible for 15% and 14%, respectively. This means, combined, the four biggest vape brands occupied more than four-fifths (82%) of the global market in 2022.
The only other brands that hold more than 1% of the global market are MOK (3%) and Lost Mary (2%).
Where are people buying their vapes in the UK?
Analysis of vaping statistics shows that over four-fifths (86.7%) of UK vapers are expected to have bought their vapes offline (i.e., in shops) in 2024, compared to just over 13% who bought them online.
While this is still a considerable majority, the number of people buying vapes online has fallen more than 3% from its 2019 peak when over nine in 10 (90.2%) vapers were buying offline.
The percentage of UK vapers who bought their vapes online and offline by year (2018-2029)
| Year | Percentage of People Who Bought Their Vapes Offline | Percentage of People Who Bought Their Vapes Online |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 89.4% | 10.6% |
| 2019 | 90.2% | 9.8% |
| 2020 | 87.1% | 12.9% |
| 2021 | 86.5% | 13.5% |
| 2022 | 88.1% | 11.9% |
| 2023 | 87.9% | 12.1% |
| 2024* | 86.7% | 13.3% |
| 2025* | 84.8% | 15.2% |
| 2026* | 83.2% | 16.8% |
| 2027* | 81.8% | 18.2% |
| 2028* | 80.6% | 19.4% |
Source: Statista | *Projected figures
The difference between the number of offline and online buyers is expected to shorten between 2024 and 2028, with just under a fifth (19.4%) of vapers expected to be online buyers by 2028.
If these projections prove correct, then the number of people buying their vapes online will rise over 6% between 2024 and 2028, with the number of offline vapers falling at the same rate.
Where are people buying their vapes globally?
The vast majority of people around the globe continue to buy their vapes in person rather than online, with over 85% of sales in 2024 projected to be offline (85.5%). While this is still a considerable majority, it represents a significant fall from 2018 when more than nine-tenths (94.2%) of vapers bought their vapes offline—a drop of almost 9%.
The percentage of global vapers who bought their vapes online and offline by year (2018-2029)
| Year | Percentage of People Who Bought Their Vapes Offline | Percentage of People Who Bought Their Vapes Online |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 94.20% | 5.8% |
| 2019 | 94% | 6% |
| 2020 | 91.6% | 8.4% |
| 2021 | 90% | 10% |
| 2022 | 89.5% | 10.5% |
| 2023 | 87.9% | 12.2% |
| 2024* | 85.5% | 14.5% |
| 2025* | 83.1% | 16.9% |
| 2026* | 80.7% | 19.3% |
| 2027* | 78.9% | 21.1% |
| 2028* | 77.8% | 22.2% |
Source: Statista | *Projected figures
The percentage of people buying their vapes online has been on the rise since 2018, increasing 4% between 2018 and 2020 to hit 10% for the first time. From here, the popularity of online buying continued to pick up, reaching 12.2% in 2023 before rising a further 2.3% in 2024 (14.5%).
The rise in online sales is expected to accelerate beyond 2024, increasing nearly 7% by 2027 to surpass 21%. By 2028, it’s projected that nearly a quarter (22.2%) of global vape sales will take place online—a rise of 7.8% from 2024 and almost four times more than in 2018.
UK Vaping Industry Statistics
Which UK region makes the most money from the vaping industry?
UK vaping statistics found that the South East made the most money from vaping of any UK region in 2020, with a gross added value (GVA) of approximately £72 million. This was over a tenth (10.8%) more than any other region and the only area with a GVA above £70 million.
The total gross added value (GVA) of the UK vaping industry in 2020
Scotland had the next highest GVA with a total of £65 million—16% more than any other region and the only other region exceeding £60 million. Scotland was followed by the North West and North East, totalling £56 million and £54 million, respectively. This means that the four highest-earning regions contributed nearly three-fifths (57.3%) of the UK’s total GVA for vaping.
At the other end of the scale, the South West’s total of £12 million was the lowest total of any region—just a sixth (-83.3%) of the total for the South East. Northern Ireland earned marginally more than the South East, with a total GVA of £13 million. However, this was just a fifth of the total recorded by Scotland.
Which UK country has the highest employment rate within the vaping industry?
Scotland was the UK region responsible for the most full-time employees within the vaping industry as of 2020. With 1,341 FTE employees, Scotland's workforce comprised just under 15% of the total full-time workforce in the UK vaping industry—over 1% more than any other region.
The total employment rate of the UK vaping industry by region in 2020
Scotland was followed by the North East, whose total FTE employee count of 1,217 accounted for 13.6% of total industry employment.
The North East was followed closely by the South East (13.4%) and the North West (13%), which were the only other regions with more than 1,000 vaping industry employees. This means the top four regions combined were responsible for more than half (54.9%) of all vaping employment within the UK.
At the other end of the scale, Northern Ireland's total of just 216 employees accounted for just 2.9% of the total UK workforce. Scotland was followed by Yorkshire and the Humber, which had 406 FTE workers in the vaping sector—less than a third of Scotland’s total.
The percentage of FTE employees working in the vaping industry by region as a proportion of the overall workforce (2020)
The North East had the highest proportion of FTE employees in the vaping sector, accounting for 0.14% of its total employees in 2020. This was 0.06% more than any other region, making the North East the only region with at least one in every thousand full-time employees working in the vaping industry.
Conversely, less than one in 3,000 (0.03%) FTE employees in London worked in vaping—the lowest percentage of any region.
Vape Usage Statistics
What is the average price of vapes in the UK?
When looking at the mean costs of all disposable vapes available on Electric Tobacconist, the average price of a disposable vape in the UK is £6.84.
For refillable vapes, the average cost of a standard vape kit came to £14.59, just over double the average amount for a single disposable vape. However, this does not take into account the future costs required for replacing coils and e-liquids.
How many puffs does the average vaper take a day?
A study from the US Government’s National Library of Medicine found that the typical vaper had an average of approximately 365 puffs per day. Around a third of people in the study (33%) vaped within five minutes of waking up, with more than half (56%) saying they vaped throughout the day.
Cost of vaping vs smoking statistics
Based on the average cost of disposable vapes and the average number of puffs per day, Electric Tobacconist compared the average price of disposable vaping and traditional smoking over various periods to find out the differences in cost.
With the average puff limit of disposable vapes on our site standing at 1,300 and the average person having 365 puffs per day, the standard disposable vaper would need to buy two vapes per week. The average price of a vape is £6.84, equating to £13.68 per week.
This means that the average monthly cost of vaping is £59.44, with an annual price of £713.28.
When compared to the average cost of smoking, the results for vaping are favourable. The ONS found that the average smoker in Great Britain smoked 10.6 cigarettes per day in 2022, meaning the typical smoker would need to buy four standard 20 packs of cigarettes per week.
With Everyone Health reporting that the average 20-pack of cigarettes cost £15.67 in December 2023, this means that the typical smoker needs to spend £62.68 per week—over four times more than the average vaper.
This would equate to £272.34 in a standard month and £3,256.36 for the year. This means that the typical vaper saves over £2,500 per year, on average, compared to the standard smoker.
The average cost of vaping vs smoking by week, month, and year
What is the average nicotine in a vape?
According to the Guardian, the average 2ml vape typically contains 0, 20, or 40mg of nicotine. The guidelines of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) allow vapes to contain a maximum of 2ml of e-liquid with a nicotine count of 20mg per ml. This means that anything above 40mg of nicotine would be in breach of these guidelines.
How has the volume of nicotine in vapes changed over time?
Vaping stats show that the number of vapes with higher nicotine levels than the 20mg/ml recommended by the TPD has fallen sharply since 2017.
A survey from Action on Smoking Health (ASH) found just 1.2% of respondents claimed their typical vape was above these guidelines—just over a quarter of the total respondents answered the same in 2017 (5.9%). Nevertheless, this represents a small increase from 2022, when the total stood at less than one in a hundred (0.9%).
The reported nicotine levels in a typical vape among surveyed respondents between 2017 and 2023
| Strength of Nicotine in an E-Cigarette | Percentage Whose Typical Vape Had This Nicotine Level in 2017 | Percentage Whose Typical Vape Had This Nicotine Level in 2020 | Percentage Whose Typical Vape Had This Nicotine Level in 2022 | Percentage Whose Typical Vape Had This Nicotine Level in 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At the level of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) guidelines or lower | 85% | 91% | 90% | 86% |
| Higher than the TPD guidelines | 5.9% | 2.1% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Don’t know | 9.5% | 7% | 9% | 13% |
Source: Action on Smoking Health
At the same time, the number of people who claim their typical vapes are within TPD guidelines has increased from 85% in 2017 to 86% in 2023. However, this represents a fall of 5% from 2020 (91%), with the number of people answering ‘don’t know’ increasing 6% over this period.
Vaping Demographic Statistics
Which age group has the most vapers?
Recent UK vaping statistics show that those aged between 35 and 44 years old have the largest proportion of UK vapers, with nearly three in 10 (29.9%) falling within this age group. This was over 6% more than the next highest age group, with almost a quarter (23.7%) of vapers aged 25-34, making it the only other age group responsible for over a fifth of UK vapers.
The percentage of UK vapers by age group (2024)
Just under a fifth (19.6%) of vapers are aged between 18 and 24, making this the third-highest age category. The 55-64 category was the only age group in the study responsible for less than 10% of the UK’s vapers, with a total of 9.3% – over 8% less than those aged 45-54 (17.5%).
What are the vaping habits of different age groups?
The 25-34 age group has the highest number of daily vapers in the UK in 2024, with stats from the ONS finding that 8% of people around this age vape every day. This is 1% higher than the next highest age group, with 7% of those aged 50-59 claiming to be daily vapers.
Just under 7% of those aged 16-24 (6.9%) and 35-49 (6.8%) were daily vapers, compared to the over-60s around the 3% mark (3.1%).
The 16-24 category had the highest percentage of occasional vapers, with a total of 8.9%—nearly double the figure for the next highest age group. Those aged 25-34 had the next highest total, at 4.7%—the only other age group above the overall total of 3.9%.
The prevalence of various vaping habits by age group
25-34-year-olds led the way for former vapers, with nearly a tenth (9.6%) of this demographic having previously given up vaping. This was 3.5% more than the overall total of 6.1%, with 35-49 year-olds (7.6%) and those aged 16-24 (6.9%) also falling above this figure.
The percentage of people who’ve never vaped increases with every age group, with the figure for the 16-24 age group sitting around three-quarters (77.4%)—the lowest of any age.
The over-60s had the highest number of people who’d never vaped, with over nine in 10 (92.2%) respondents choosing this answer. This was 8% more than the overall total of 84.2% and 8.7% higher than any other age group.
Which gender vapes the most?
Men comprise the highest proportion of UK vapers, accounting for just over half (51.5%) of the overall total, compared to 48.5% of women. This suggests a fairly even split between genders for vaping, with just 3% separating men and women.
The percentage of UK vapers by gender (2024)
What are the differences in vaping habits between men and women?
Vaping statistics show men are more likely to vape daily in the UK than women. Results show that 6.7% of surveyed men claimed they vaped daily in 2023, compared to just one in 20 women (5%). Men also had the highest number of occasional vapers, at 4.3%—0.8% more than women (3.5%).
A comparison of vaping habits by gender
Around 6.9% of men said they were former vapers, which was 1.6% more than the number of women who answered the same (5.3%). Nearly nine in 10 (86.1%) women said they never vape—4% more than the number of men who’ve never vaped (82.1%).
Do younger women vape more than men?
Despite men vaping the most overall, this is not the case among younger people. Over one in 12 (8.7%) women aged 18-24 reported being daily vapers in 2023—over four times more than in 2021 (1.9%) and up 2% from 2022 (6.7%).
Conversely, just over one in 20 (5.3%) men were daily vapers in 2023, representing a 1.7% climb from the previous year (3.6%).
The vaping habits of UK 18-24-year-olds by gender
Young men had slightly more occasional users (9% vs 8.9%) in 2023, with the female total falling over 3% from the previous year (12.2%). This suggests that many women who were previously occasional vapers may have become daily vapers during this time.
Just under one in 14 (7%) 16-24-year-old women were former vapers, compared to 6.5% of men. This represents a change from 2022, when there were 1.4% more male ex-vapers than female (7% vs 5.6%).
Finally, just over three-quarters (75.4%) of women aged 18-24 said they’d never vaped—3.8% lower than the number of men who said the same (79.2%).
What is the financial status of most vapers?
Middle-income earners make up the highest percentage of vapers in the UK, with nearly two-fifths (39.5%) in this income category. This is around 7% more than the number of high-income earners who account for just under a third (32.6%) of the UK vaping population.
The percentage of UK vapers by income band (2024)
Low-income earners comprise the smallest proportion of UK vapers, with over a quarter (27.9%) belonging to this income band.
What is the current smoking status of most vapers?
The latest UK vaping statistics found that more than one in 10 (12.3%) current smokers also vape daily. This is 7% less than the number of smokers who occasionally vape (19.3%) and over 11% less than the number who used to vape (23.9%).
Over two-fifths (44.4%) of current smokers have never vaped—more than three times the number who vape daily.
A breakdown of UK vaping habits by current smoking status
Just under 15% of ex-smokers vape every day, which is only 2.6% more than the number of current smokers who vape daily. Additionally, the percentage of ex-smokers who occasionally vape (3.8%) was less than a fifth of the total for current smokers (19.3%).
Just over one in 10 (10.1%) ex-smokers said they used to vape, which was less than half the total for current smokers. In contrast, nearly three-quarters (71.3%) of ex-smokers said they’ve never vaped—over a quarter (26.9%) higher than the number of current smokers who said the same. These figures suggest that current smokers in the UK are more likely to vape than ex-smokers.
For those who’ve never smoked, around 19 in 20 (95.5%) claim they’ve also never vaped, with less than 2% identifying as either daily users (1.2%), occasional users (1.6%), or former users (1.8%).
Vape Shop Statistics
How many vape shops are there in the UK?
A 2024 article from The Independent reported that the number of specialist vape shops in the UK rose to 3,573 in 2023. This represents an increase of 61 shops from 2022, meaning the number of vape shops experienced a year-on-year increase of just under 2% (+1.7%).
Where in the UK has the most vape shops?
A 2024 study reported in The Independent found that Blackburn was the UK town with the most vape shops per 100,000 residents, with a total of 22.56. This was a tenth (11.4%) more than any other town or city, making Blackburn one of only two places with more than 20 vape shops per 100,000 people.
Bolton had the second-highest total, with 20.26 shops per 100,000 people—around 2% more than third-placed Manchester (19.84).
Top 10 towns or cities in the UK with the most vape shops per 100,000 residents
Exactly half (50%) of the top 10 areas were based in the North West of England, with 40% in Greater Manchester. Each North West location in the top 10 had over 10 vape shops per 100,000 people.
Middlesbrough and Doncaster were the only places outside the North West with more than 10 vape shops per 100,000 people, with totals of 12.43 and 10.44, respectively.
Best-Selling Vape Statistics
Elf Bar and sister brand Lost Mary have by far the highest number of sales in UK convenience and independent stores, with combined sales of over £650 million in 2023. This was over 10 times more than any other brand, making it the only vape company to generate more than £100 million in sales.
The most popular UK vape brands by convenience store and independent shop sales (2023)
Elux had the second highest value for sales, with a total of £64.7 million—more than double the total of third-placed SKE, with £32.2 million. Fourth-placed Vuse was the final brand to generate more than £25 million, with its total sales value of £29.1 million—around two-fifths (39.9%) more than fifth-placed Geek (£20.8 million).
The remainder of the top 10 all achieved total sales worth between £9 million and £15 million. Overall, this means that Elf Bar and Lost Mary’s total sales value of £654.4 million was over three times more than the rest of the top 10 combined.
What are the most mentioned vape flavours online?
Vaping statistics show that Mr Blue is the leading vape flavour for monthly searches in 2024. Monthly searches refer to any time someone types a specific topic or phrase into Google, with the average figures representing the typical number of times this happens per month.
The most searched-for vape flavours in the UK (2024)
Menthol had the next highest search volume, with a monthly average of 819—around 6% more than third-placed Watermelon Ice (770). Rounding off the top five are Pink Lemonade (725) and Lemon and Lime (700), which are the only other flavours to achieve search volumes of at least 700.
Despite having the sixth-highest total overall, Watermelon’s average of 587 was less than half the searches for Mr Blue and around a quarter (-28%) lower than Menthol. Watermelon finished narrowly ahead of Tobacco, Rainbow and Blue Raspberry flavours, with each generating average searches of between 550 and 600.
Cherry completed the top 10 with 441 average monthly searches—almost two-thirds (-65%) less than Mr Blue and two-fifths (43%) fewer than Watermelon Ice.
What are the most popular vape flavours?
A study reported in Asian Trader found that Strawberry was the most popular vape flavour in the UK. This was followed by Berry and Mint which were the second and third most popular, respectively.
The most popular UK vape flavours among surveyed respondents, 2024
Tobacco (4th) and Cherry (5th) rounded off the top five, followed by Mint Tobacco (6th) and Apple (7th). Three-fifths (60%) of the top 10 were fruit flavours, with a further fifth (20%) being tobacco-based.
Check out the Electric Tobacconist blog for expert tips and reviews, including the top five Lost Mary vape flavours.
Attitudes and Opinions of Vapers in the UK
A government survey of over 2,000 vapers from March 2024 found that 54% mostly used reusable vape products, with 43% opting for disposable vapes.
Users of disposable vapes were typically in younger age groups, with around a third of people in this category (32%) aged 18-24. By contrast, only 11% of reusable vapers were aged between 18 and 24.
Around three-fifths (61%) of disposable vapers claimed they typically buy their vapes in local shops, with over two-thirds citing convenience (67%) as a key reason for preferring disposable vapes.
More than half (58%) of reusable vapers said they were more likely to buy their vapes from places that stocked the types of vapes or e-liquids they like to use.
Over half of vapers (53%) in the study said that they’d quit smoking, highlighting vaping’s potential as an alternative to tobacco use. Of the vapers who still smoked, around three-fifths (59%) said they’d decreased their tobacco consumption, with 49% citing quitting smoking as a key reason they started vaping.
Less than one in 20 (4%) non-vaping smokers said that they intended to start vaping in future.
What are the main reasons people vape?
The most common reason people vape in the UK is to help quit smoking, with nearly half (46%) of surveyed respondents citing this as a key reason. This was 8% more common than any other answer and the only reason referenced by over two-fifths (40%) of respondents.
The most common reasons surveyed vapers gave for vaping (2024)
Over a third (37%) said they vaped because it was not as bad for their health as smoking, making this the second most popular answer. This was 3% more than the number who cited enjoyment (34%) as a driving factor and 4% more than those who vaped to alleviate stress, pressure, or anxiety.
Just under a third (32%) of respondents said they vaped as a cheaper alternative to smoking—the same amount who said they vaped because they liked the flavours.
At the other end of the scale, just 6% said they vaped because their friends and family did—over seven times fewer than the number who vaped to quit smoking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vaping could not be easier. All you need to do is draw the vape into your mouth and inhale at the end of the vape. From here, simply hold the vapour in your mouth for a second or two before opening your mouth and breathing the vapour into your lungs.
After the vapour is in your lungs, exhale the vapour and then repeat this process next time you want to take another draw.
Since 2015, the UK age for vaping has been set to 18, in line with the legal age for purchasing tobacco products. This means that anyone vaping below this age is doing so illegally.
Vaping contains very few calories, even when consumed at high volumes. According to the University of Columbia, 1ml of propylene glycol—the ingredient used as the base product for many e-liquids—contains four calories.
This would mean that a standard 2ml disposable vape contains around eight calories.
Vaping comes in a variety of flavours and can, therefore, have many different tastes. The flavour of the vape depends on what flavour e-juice is in the device, meaning tastes can come in a variety of fruit, mint, menthol, dessert, or tobacco-like flavours.
Switching to vaping from smoking comes with numerous benefits. Firstly, vaping significantly reduces your exposure to many harmful toxins like tar or carbon monoxide that can cause numerous diseases like cancer, lung disease, and various cardiac problems.
Secondly, switching to vaping can help you cut costs quickly, with Electric Tobacconist finding that the typical vaper spends over £2,500 less per year than the average smoker.
While tobacco companies have been developing nicotine aerosol generation systems since the 1960s, it’s commonly accepted that the first modern e-cigarette was invented by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik in 2003.
This was the first commercially successful vape and paved the way for the thriving industry we see today!
Since hitting the Chinese market in 2004 and then the European market in 2006, vaping has quickly grown to become a mainstream pastime in many countries. The growth in vaping accelerated throughout the 2010s, rising from seven million global users in 2011 to 68 million in 2020.
Since then, this number has continued to grow suggesting that the popularity of vaping may be yet to reach its peak.
If you’re using a refillable vape, the amount of time a coil lasts can vary depending on how much you vape. For heavy users, a coil will likely only last a couple of days, whereas less frequent users may get one to two weeks before needing a replacement.
Based on the average puff limit of disposable vapes on our site standing at 1,300 and the average person having 365 puffs per day, the typical vaper would get between three to four days out of a standard disposable vape.
The cost of e-liquid can vary depending on the quantity, brand, and ingredients used. The price of e-liquids available at Electric Tobacconist ranges from as little as £1 to as much as £12.99 for premium offerings.
Yes. In March 2024, the UK government announced plans to introduce legislation that will ban the sale of disposable vapes from June 2025. The ban of disposable vapes will have a considerable impact on the vaping industry, with many brands and customers having to change how they buy, sell, brand, and market vapes to cater for an entirely reusable market.
Glossary
- Average revenue per capita
Average revenue per capita refers to the average revenue generated per person living in an area. For example, if a company earned £1 million in a country containing a million people, it would have an average revenue per capita of £1.
- Coil
The electrical component of a vape that turns the e-liquid into vapour.
- E-Cigarette
More commonly known as vapes, e-cigarettes are battery-powered devices used to heat liquid into vapour. This vapour can then be inhaled as an alternative to smoking tobacco.
- E-Liquid
e-Liquid is the fluid turned into vapour in an e-cigarette. This fluid is usually flavoured and typically contains nicotine, water propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerine.
- Gross Value Added (GVA)
Gross value added (GVA) refers to the value of goods and services produced by an industry, sector, manufacturer, or region within an economy. GVA does not factor in the cost of making and producing the goods.
Sources and Methodology
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/12/number-of-uk-adults-who-vape-reaches-record-level-report-finds
https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/tobacco-products/e-cigarettes/worldwide?currency=GBP#revenue
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/e-cigarette-and-vape-market/uk
https://ukvia.co.uk/first-ever-report-into-vapings-impact-on-uk-economy-reveals-flourishing-multi-billion-pound-industry/
https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/tobacco-products/e-cigarettes/worldwide?currency=GBP#revenue
https://ukvia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Cebr_Report_06092022-clean.pdf
/blog/is-it-cheaper-to-smoke-or-vape
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7668279/
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jun/23/how-much-nicotine-is-in-a-cigarette-compared-to-a-vape
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-the-vaping-market/executive-summary-understanding-the-vaping-market
https://ash.org.uk/uploads/Use-of-e-cigarettes-among-adults-in-Great-Britain-2023.pdf
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/datasets/ecigaretteuseingreatbritain
https://tobaccoreporter.com/2024/01/05/number-of-u-k-vape-shops-up-in-2023/
https://www.independent.co.uk/business/number-of-independent-vape-shops-across-uk-jumps-again-b2471961.html
https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/11/new-map-reveals-uks-vaping-capital-not-london-20258158/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/blackburn-vape-shop-capital-uk-b2523850.html
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1190770/leading-e-cigarette-brands-in-c-store-and-independent-grocers-uk/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1343674/most-popular-vape-pod-flavor-teenagers-united-states/
https://www.asiantrader.biz/the-favourite-e-liquid-flavour-of-uk-vapers-revealed