How to Promote Your Vape Range After the Advertising Ban

For years, a lot of vape shops grew the same way. A poster in the window, a few posts online, a free pod to win over a new customer. That way of doing things is coming to an end.

The vape advertising ban is set to start on 1 June 2027, and some of the rules on giveaways and discounts start on 29 October 2026. It's worth being clear about one thing: this isn't a vape ban. UK shops can still sell vapes to adults. What changes is vape marketing, and how you get people to notice your range.

This guide covers what the rules say, what you can still do, and six simple ways to keep your range selling.

What the new vape laws actually say

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill became law on 29 April 2026. It's now the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, and it brings in the biggest change to vape laws in the UK in years. It comes in stages.

From 29 October 2026:

•        You can't give away vapes, pods or nicotine products to the public to promote them. That covers free samples, giveaways and coupons, in store or online. Branded items, like a charger, count too.

•        You can't sell at a big discount to promote a product. GOV.UK gives selling at 10p as an example that would likely break the rules.

•        The age of sale is 18 for all vaping and nicotine products, including zero-nicotine vapes and nicotine pouches.

All of this is in GOV.UK's guide to selling vaping and nicotine products. Breaking these rules can mean a £200 fixed penalty in England, Wales and Scotland, or court in serious cases.

From 1 June 2027:

The government plans to end the advertising and sponsorship of vapes across the UK. That includes paid online adverts and sponsored social media posts. Right now, vape adverts are still allowed on billboards, posters, shop windows and public transport. The new law is built to stop that. The government has said it will publish more guidance before the ban starts.

What you can still do

Plenty, as it happens. Retail websites can still give factual information about the products they sell. You can answer a customer who asks you about a product. Everyday pricing is fine, and so is cutting the price on unsold stock as part of normal business.

There's also a defence in the Act for trade messages aimed only at people in the trade, such as the people who buy stock or run the business. So your supplier can still tell you about new lines.

6 ways to promote your vape range without advertising

1. Lean on lines that sell themselves

When you can't advertise, stock that customers already ask for does the work for you. Hayati Pro Max pods are a good example. People walk in looking for them by name, so you don't need a poster to sell them. The same goes for Hayati pods in general, popular pod kits and the main prefilled pods flavours. Our guide to choosing vape products for a convenience store can help you pick the right mix.

2. Don't run out

An empty hook loses a sale, and without adverts it's harder to win that customer back. Keep your best sellers in stock and reorder before you run low. Our post on smart reordering for your Hayati range shows how.

3. Keep the range tidy and easy to read

Group pod kits, prefilled pods and e-liquids together. Make prices and nicotine strengths easy to see. Plain facts help people choose. A poster telling people to "try the new flavour today" is the kind of thing the ban is aimed at. The government has also consulted on packaging and display rules, so more changes may follow.

4. Train your staff

Once the posters are gone, your staff are the best thing you've got. If a customer asks what the difference is between two devices, someone should know. Our Hayati Pro Max flavours guide and our post on where the Hayati Moxy Pro sits are a quick way to get them up to speed. Staff also need to check ID. Our age of sale checklist covers that.

5. Keep your website factual

List what the product is: name, flavour, nicotine strength, puff count and price. Cut lines like "must-try" or "best deal ever". Content built to push people into buying may be caught by the ban. Plain product facts are fine.

6. Win on price and service, not gimmicks

Free-pod deals and 10p offers are out. Fair everyday prices and good service are what bring people back. If you run a loyalty scheme, check how it works against the guidance first. Our post on vape promotions from 29 October goes through what's allowed. Buying at trade prices helps you keep prices fair and still make a margin.

Get ready before 1 June 2027

•        Stop all giveaways and free samples now.

•        List every poster, window sticker, pavement sign and social post you use. Plan to remove them.

•        Go through your website and take out anything that reads like an advert.

•        Brief your staff on the rules and on ID checks.

•        Keep an eye on GOV.UK for the new guidance.

Where Global Bargain fits in

Global Bargain Ltd is a UK B2B wholesale supplier based in Salford. We supply vape shops, convenience stores and online sellers with prefilled pods, pod kits and e-liquids. Hayati is our main brand, so for Hayati UK wholesale, including Hayati Pro Max wholesale stock, it's all in one place.

Because we only sell to the trade, we can keep telling trade buyers about new lines and stock news. Verified retailers can open a trade account to see Hayati B2B wholesale UK prices and order wholesale vapes UK shops can rely on.

Quick answers

When does the vape advertising ban start? The government plans for it to start on 1 June 2027. The rules on free samples and big discounts start on 29 October 2026.

Can I still put vape posters in my shop window? For now, yes. Plan to take them down before 1 June 2027.

Can I still give away free pods? No. From 29 October 2026, giving vapes or pods to the public to promote them is an offence.

Can my website still show vape products? Yes. Retail websites can still give factual information about the products they sell.

Final word

The new vape laws change how you sell, not whether you can sell. After June 2027, the shops that keep their customers will be the ones with the right stock, fair prices and staff who know their stuff. If you want a steady partner for vape wholesale UK orders, talk to the Global Bargain team.

This post is general guidance, not legal advice. If you're unsure, check GOV.UK or ask your local Trading Standards office.