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Vaping has long been positioned as the safer, cheaper alternative to smoking, but both of those assumptions are increasingly under pressure.
Scientific studies have shown a greater risk of pneumonia, bronchitis and heart attacks associated with e-cigarette use, while graphic simulations illustrate just what vaping does inside the body after you take a drag.
Now, for millions of British vapers, there is an extra financial sting to contend with.
From 1 October 2026, the UK government's new Vaping Products Duty will come into force, pushing up the cost of e-cigarettes and vape liquids by a substantial amount.
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Under the new legislation, e-liquids will increase by £2.20 per 10ml, regardless of nicotine strength.
As reported by Ladbible, a 10ml bottle of vape liquid will go from around £3.99 to £6.63 (including VAT) while a 50ml bottle will increase from £11.99 to £25.20.
However, to ensure vaping remains the more affordable option to smoking, tobacco products will face an equivalent price increase. On the same date, an additional £2.20 will be applied per 100 cigarettes or every 50g of tobacco.
To see how significant these price increases are, we need to look at how the UK compares to the rest of the world.
In the US, a 10ml bottle of e-liquid costs around $5 to $10 (£4–£8), however prices can vary from state to state. Some US states charge tax per ml while others use a percentage of the retail price, ChatGPT reported.
Across the EU, a 10ml e-liquid is around €5 to €8 (£4–£7), with Western European countries tending to sit at the higher end. EU regulations are also imposing stricter limits on nicotine concentration and bottle sizes.
In contrast, Australia is among the most expensive places in the world to buy disposable vapes. The OpenAI chatbot estimated disposable vapes in the land down under to cost about $30 to $50 AUD (£15–£25), largely due to the country's strict laws and 'supply limits.' E-liquids are also heavily restricted and often require prescriptions.
Canada faces similarly heightened costs for vape products, given its heavy taxation and tight regulations.
While the UK has historically been one of the more affordable places in the world to vape, given its policy to encourage vaping over smoking, the new duty will bring British prices much closer to the global norm. And for the millions of adults who made the switch from cigarettes, the new cost is hard to ignore.
