How to Spot a Fake Vape: Key Signs and Health Risks Revealed
Vape packaging must include a UK distributor’s address, nicotine warnings, a full ingredient list, and labelling in English, and it should not be of poor quality. These requirements are crucial for consumer safety, yet millions of illegal devices evade these standards each year.
The Dangers of Counterfeit Vaping Devices
You might purchase a vape from a high street shop, and initially, nothing seems amiss. However, after charging and using it for a few days, you notice it overheating excessively. This is a telltale sign of a fake vape, one of thousands sold illegally across the UK. Manufacturers of these counterfeit products often skip installing simple safety circuits to prevent overheating, saving a few pence but risking fires and serious harm.
According to figures collated by the legitimate vape industry, councils have seized about 5 million illegal devices over the past three years. John Dunne, head of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), warns that illegal vapes can damage health as they bypass rigorous testing regimes applied to legal products.
"Where the packaging might look similar and the product itself may look similar, these companies may not have the same safety features built into the device, because the copycats tend to try and make the product as cheap as possible," he explains.
Financial and Health Implications of Illegal Vapes
Data from local authorities provided to the UKVIA estimates the street value of seized vapes at £39 million over the last three years. Seizures occur not only in shops but also at transport hubs like Luton airport and Dover. Other non-compliant e-cigarettes have been found with higher nicotine concentrations, banned ingredients, or oversized tanks for nicotine liquid, posing additional health risks.
It is challenging to detect a fake vaping device, but there are clear indicators. Dunne notes that buying a fake, potentially harmful vape is an easy mistake, as packaging can appear identical to legitimate brands.
Key Signs to Identify Fake Vapes
One of the most critical signs is the absence of a UK distributor’s address on the packaging. "Then it’s definitely dodgy because that’s one of the requirements … all legal vapes in the country have to have a UK representative marked clearly on the packaging," Dunne emphasises.
Other red flags include:
- Poor-quality packaging with low-resolution photos or labels.
- Missing nicotine warnings or incomplete ingredient lists.
- Labelling written in a foreign language instead of English.
- Serial numbers on boxes that are identical, rather than unique to each item, as discovered in recent police raids.
What to Do If You Suspect a Fake Vape
Always check the packaging for the signs mentioned above and avoid purchasing if anything seems suspicious. If you encounter an unfamiliar brand, verify its registration with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) through their official website.
You can report retailers suspected of selling illegal products via the UKVIA. If you have unwittingly bought a fake vape, take photographs and send details of the purchase location to your local Trading Standards office for investigation.
