Reeves confirms 2026 launch of Vaping Duty Stamps scheme in bid to tackle illicit vapes
November 26, 2025
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, poses with the red Budget Box as she leaves 11 Downing Street to present the government's annual budget to Parliament, on November 26, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
The government has confirmed that all vaping products sold in the UK will be required to carry a duty stamp from 1 October 2026, in what ministers say will be a decisive blow against the booming illicit vape trade.
Unveiled in today’s Budget by chancellor Rachel Reeves, the new Vaping Duty Stamps scheme will mandate that every vape manufactured in – or imported into – the UK features an official stamp on its packaging, making illicit and non-compliant products immediately identifiable to Trading Standards, retailers and consumers.
The move builds on pre-Budget announcements confirming that the scheme will use digital stamps with QR codes, enabling instant verification of legitimacy. Retailers and suppliers will be able to register for the system from April 2026, with a six-month sell-through period for unstamped stock once the rules take effect in the autumn.
Alongside the duty stamp rollout, the government is “going after rogue retailers” by taking powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to introduce a retail licensing scheme for both tobacco and vape sellers. Reeves said this will “strengthen enforcement and support legitimate businesses.”
The government will also direct up to £10 million in funding from HMRC to Border Force in 2026-27 to enhance operational information gathering capabilities ahead of the Vaping Products Duty introduction and to support enforcement at the border.
The new Vaping Products Duty will be introduced from 1 October 2026 at a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml applied to all vaping liquid.
The measures come after a major escalation in enforcement. October’s Operation Machinize 2, one of the largest multi-agency crackdowns ever conducted, saw 2,734 premises raided and more than 111,000 illegal vapes seized, alongside nearly £10m in suspected criminal proceeds.
Industry bodies have broadly backed the government’s approach, saying the distinction between responsible retailers and rogue traders is now clearer than ever.
Gillian Golden, chief executive of the IBVTA, said the duty stamp scheme and wider enforcement powers represent a “concerted effort” to tackle illicit trading that has created “unfair competition” and reputational harm for legitimate vape specialists. She said the IBVTA will work closely with HMRC to help businesses prepare for the new requirements.
Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club and founding UKVIA member, also welcomed the measures but urged ministers to go further by adopting UKVIA’s proposed licensing framework for retailers and distributors, which he said could fund proactive enforcement at no cost to taxpayers.
“The government now has an opportunity to back up its words with proper funding for Trading Standards and local authorities, giving them the tools to shut down rogue traders for good,” he said. “Legitimate vape retailers are ready and willing to work with policymakers to create a framework that protects young people, supports public health, and continues to aid adults trying to quit smoking.”
Today’s duty stamp confirmation is the latest in a sweeping package of reforms reshaping the UK’s vape sector. Ministers have already legislated to ban disposable single-use vapes, while the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will introduce strict controls on flavours, packaging, in-store displays, advertising and sponsorship.
