Number of indie vape shops rises significantly in 2023

January 3, 2024

Photo: iStock

The number of independent vape shops has jumped again across the UK in 2023, with net 233 shops being opened over the past year, new figures have revealed.

The increase is significantly higher than the net increase of 61 shops in 2022, according to the data from Local Data Company (LDC). In 2021, vape shops sector has seen a net decline of 23 shops.

The country now has a total of 3,573 specialist vape shops, according to the LDC, showing the robust growth in the demand for vapes from physical stores.

The figures for specialist vape stores do not include other outlets that sell vapes such as convenience stores and supermarkets.

Vaping products were the fastest growing category in UK grocery for the second year running in 2023, with the Lost Mary brand becoming the UK’s fastest growing product with sales up by £310.6 million on the previous year, according to market researcher NIQ.

Vaping products saw growth in value sales of £897.4m in 2023, the data showed.

By Kiran Paul

With a background that spans both the agility of startup environments and the established presence of Asian Media Group, Kiran tries to bring a well-rounded perspective to his work. His career as a journalist began at a dynamic news startup, where he honed his reporting and storytelling skills for five years, gaining valuable experience in a fast-paced and evolving media landscape. Since 2018, he has been contributing to Asian Trader, where a standout feature of his work has been his in-depth interviews with award-winning retailers, which he transforms into insightful profiles that appear in each issue. Since 2021, he has also been at the helm of the sister title, Vape Business.

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