Why tobacco-style (plain) packaging rules could backfire on the vape industry

August 23, 2025

The UK is considering extending plain packaging rules to vaping products, echoing the style used for cigarettes. Stripped of colour, branding, and visual identity, e-liquid bottles and vape kits could soon be boxed in beige. While the aim is to curb youth appeal, this strategy may do more harm than good. In fact, it could deter smokers from switching and end up sabotaging public health goals.

What plain packaging really means for vapers

Plain packaging removes all branded elements from the product, including logos, colour codes, and visual flavour cues. What you are left with is a uniform container with a product name in small print and a health warning slapped across the front. It works for tobacco because the goal is to make smoking as unattractive as possible. But vaping is not smoking. And that distinction matters.

Vaping is widely recognised as a harm reduction tool for adult smokers. By copying tobacco-style packaging, the UK sends a confusing message. Are these products for harm reduction, or are they just as bad as cigarettes? Many ex-smokers may think twice about picking up a vape when it looks identical to the very product they are trying to quit.

Branding is not just marketing, it is information

Brand design plays a practical role in vaping. It helps users navigate product types, nicotine strength, and flavour profiles. Imagine standing in a shop trying to tell apart mango ice, blueberry sour, and watermelon chill without labels or colour cues. The risk of user error goes up, and the shopping experience gets worse. That creates frustration, especially for older users or those new to vaping.

Vape Lounge UK stocks a wide range of products, from e-liquids and shortfills to pods and devices. Clear labelling is essential, especially when mixing products or selecting compatible hardware. Plain packaging removes a layer of safety that many users rely on.

Who benefits from plain packaging?

The argument is that plain packaging reduces the appeal of vaping to young people. But youth appeal is not about packaging alone. Social media, peer influence, and price play a bigger role. Meanwhile, adult smokers, the very audience vaping was designed to help, are put off. They lose the visual reassurance that they are making a different, healthier choice.

There is also the risk of boosting the black market. If legitimate products become harder to identify and less appealing, some users may turn to unregulated imports with brighter, illegal branding. That is the opposite of what public health campaigns aim for.

Harm reduction needs to be attractive

If you want smokers to switch, you have to offer them something better. That includes flavour variety, sleek hardware, and packaging that does not feel like a punishment. Nobody wants to be treated like a criminal for choosing a safer product. Yet that is exactly how many adult vapers will feel under these proposed rules.

Good policy needs nuance. Instead of copy-pasting cigarette laws onto vapes, regulators should focus on:

strict age checks and retail compliance
clear, visible labelling for flavours and nicotine levels
limiting youth marketing without stigmatising adult users
educating smokers on how to switch safely

Removing all branding from harm reduction tools sends the wrong signal. It undermines trust, reduces clarity, and makes switching less appealing. That is not progress. That is confusion wrapped in cardboard.

Let vapes be different from cigarettes

Packaging matters because perception matters. If vapes are meant to be safer alternatives, they should not be treated like tobacco. They should be regulated as what they are: tools for quitting, reducing harm, and regaining control. The goal should be informed choice, not shame through beige boxes.

At Vape Lounge UK, we support responsible regulation, but not at the cost of progress. We believe adults deserve clarity, safety, and access to alternatives that work. That includes well-labelled products like nicotine salts, pouches, and simple starter kits from the A-Steam range.

What do you think about plain packaging for vapes?

Should vapes look like tobacco or stay distinct? Will plain packaging help or harm the switch? Share your view and tag someone who needs to weigh in.

Need better options? Visit the Vape Lounge UK shop and explore a full range of verified, high-quality vape products designed for people who want real change.

Or come see us in person:
📍 147 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester M4 6DH
📍 71 Stafford Street, Stoke on Trent, ST1 1LW
📧 hello@vapelounge.uk
📞 0161 637 6066