Colourful packaging, names inspired by sweets and cocktails, and bright marketing displays could be banned from vapes as the government launches a crackdown on products it says are luring children into experimenting with nicotine.
The 12-week consultation, announced by Health Secretary James Murray, aims to “make vaping less attractive for children and young people”. Under the proposals, packs would become plain with strict limits on branding, allowing only simple flavour descriptions such as “apple” or “cola”. Vapes would also be moved out of sight in shops, mirroring how cigarettes and tobacco are currently sold.
“Government proposes banning colourful vape packaging and sweet flavours to curb child vaping.”
Murray said the evidence was clear: too many young people were being attracted by the array of flavours, bright colours and marketing displays. “We must act now to reduce the appeal of addictive vapes to our children,” he said. “Vapes are less harmful than cigarettes and can play an important role in helping adult smokers to quit, but they should never be designed or marketed in ways that tempt children.”
The move follows the recent passing of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, which creates the UK’s first smoke-free generation and includes a lifelong ban on selling cigarettes to anyone born after 1 January 2009. The act also allows the government to ban vaping in cars carrying children, in playgrounds, outside schools and at hospitals. It comes after a ban on single-use vapes and ahead of future bans on vape sales from vending machines and an end to vape advertising and sponsorship.
Nearly one in five 11- to 17-year-olds in Great Britain – around one million young people – reported trying vaping in 2025, according to charity Action on Smoking and Health. NHS staff have said children as young as 13 admit vaping.
The consultation also proposes inserts for cigarette packs directing buyers to quit-help services, and plans to extend plain packaging requirements to all tobacco products, including rolling paper and cigars. Health experts said there was no legitimate reason for nicotine products to come in neon packaging, feature cartoon images, or use flavours and branding designed to catch a child’s eye.
Murray urged the public to have their say, saying the proposals were about striking the right balance between protecting children and ensuring adult smokers can still access vaping to quit.