UK Wide Consultation Launched on Plain Packaging and Display Restrictions for Vapes and Tobacco Products
The UK Government and the devolved administrations are launching a 12-week consultation on new proposals that would significantly change how vaping and tobacco products are packaged, displayed and marketed across the UK. This is a UK wide consultation, but regulatory changes made in Scotland will be administered by the Scottish Government.
The consultation follows the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 receiving Royal Assent in April and aims to reduce the appeal of nicotine products to children and young people, while ensuring vapes remain available as a smoking cessation aid for adults.
The consultation seeks views on proposals for vapes and nicotine products including:
Restrict shop displays in the same way as tobacco products.
Introducing plain white packaging with restrictions on text colour, imagery, limited branding and standardised safety information
Restricting flavour names to only simple recognisable descriptions (e.g. “Apple”), banning concept and sensory names as well as names relating to confectionery, sweets, desserts and alcohol
Mandating manufacturers of vape devices to make them white, black or grey, with no images, limited branding, no cosmetic lights and screens only displaying safety information (e.g. battery level)
Further measures in the proposals for tobacco products include:
Extending existing plain packaging requirements and health warnings for cigarettes across all tobacco products, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers and heated tobacco devices.
Introducing positive quit-support messages inside all tobacco products, including cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco, herbal smoking products and heated tobacco devices
Extending existing tobacco display restrictions to all tobacco related products, cigarette papers, herbal smoking products
Removing an existing display exemption for bulk tobacconists, including duty-free shops and airports, meaning that tobacco products would be restricted from display in these settings
Restricting heated tobacco devices to a drab brown colour the same as tobacco packaging, with no images, limited branding, no cosmetic lights and screens only displaying safety information (e.g. battery level)
Background:
The consultation will run from 10 July 2026 for 12 weeks.
No immediate changes to law are being made at this stage.
Regulations will be developed following analysis of consultation responses.
SGF will carefully review the consultation and engage with government to ensure the views and practical experiences of Scotland's convenience retailers are fully represented.
