Vape Multi-Buy Deals After VPD: What Changes

What does the future look like for vape multi-buy deals?

Vaping Regulations

Do Multi-buy Deals Have a Future?

Multibuy offers have become a normal part of buying vape products in the UK.

Whether it’s 2 for £12 pods, 3 for £15 refills or other mix & match promotions, buying several products together can make a noticeable difference to your overall cost of vaping.

That is set to change.

The UK’s new Vaping Products Duty (VPD) arrives on 1st October 2026, but just 28 days later, another major change comes into force.

From 29 October 2026, the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 will make it an offence to sell vaping or nicotine products, or coupons for those products, at a substantial discount where the purpose or effect is to promote the product. The Act also bans promotional free distribution.

This does not mean every vape discount or every multi-buy automatically becomes illegal.

The Government has stated that normal discounting practices can continue and that bulk and trade discounts may still apply. What matters is the how the definition of a promotion giving a ‘substantial’ discount or effect of promoting the product works in operation.

So what will happen to vape multibuy deals?

When Do the New Rules Start?

There are two separate dates that vapers need to remember.

1st October 2026 - Vaping Products Duty implementation date

VPD comes into force at £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid, equivalent to 22p per ml. The duty applies to vaping liquids, including the liquid contained in products such as refill pods. VAT will also be added on top of this, driving costs up further.

29 October 2026 - Discount/Promotion Restrictions

The Tobacco and Vapes Act’s restrictions on free distribution and substantial discounts then come into force.

From this date, retailers cannot sell vaping or nicotine products at a large discount where the purpose or effect is to promote those products. The restriction applies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, although enforcement and penalties can differ between jurisdictions.

For retailers, that creates a very short window in which two significant changes arrive almost back-to-back.

What Does “Substantial Discount” Actually Mean?

This is the question many people are asking.

The Government has not set one universal percentage that defines a substantial discount.

Instead, its guidance says a substantial discount is one that significantly lowers the cost of a product compared with its standard selling price.

It also makes clear that whether a discount is substantial can vary depending on the product and the promotion.

That means there is no simple rule saying:

“A 10% reduction is legal but a 20% reduction is illegal.”

The circumstances could differ wildly between products.

The Government has given one clear example: selling e-liquid, vape devices or nicotine products for a nominal amount, such as 10p, in an online or in-store promotion would likely constitute an offence.

The legislation is deliberately structured this way because the Government does not want businesses to get around the ban on free distribution simply by selling a product for an artificially low price. The Act’s explanatory notes specifically say the substantial discount prohibition is intended to prevent that loophole.

Does This Mean All Multi-Buy Vape Deals Will Be Banned?

Not automatically.

This is where the situation is more complex than just saying “multibuy deals are banned”.

The Government’s guidance does not say that every multibuy promotion is prohibited.

Instead, retailers need to consider whether the saving created by the promotion amounts to a substantial discount and whether the purpose or effect is to promote the vaping product.

The Government also explicitly states:

“These restrictions do not affect normal discounting practices.”

It goes on to confirm that unsold stock can still be sold at a reduced price as part of normal business, and bulk and trade discounts may still apply.

That leaves retailers with room to continue offering genuine value, but the traditional aggressive promotional model of using very large discounts to attract customers is likely to come under much greater scrutiny.

The VPD cost also needs to be considered. Traditional 4 for £9.99 liquid multi-buy deals for example, would no longer be sustainable. This is due to the £10.56 extra duty/VAT added to the 4 x 10ml bottles of liquid.

What Could Vape Multi-buy Deals Look Like Instead?

The Government has left an opening by confirming that normal discounting practices can continue.

This suggests the future may be less about eliminating all price competition and more about changing how promotions are structured.

Retailers could potentially focus on:

Genuine bulk purchasing

Customers buying multiple products may still receive a commercially reasonable bulk discount, provided the promotion remains within the rules.

Everyday competitive pricing

Instead of advertising dramatic temporary reductions, retailers may choose to maintain sharper standard prices.

Brand and range competition

Retailers may compete through range, availability, service and standard pricing rather than relying on promotional discounts.

Stock clearance

The Government confirmed that unsold stock can continue to be sold at a reduced price as part of normal business.

This will be important during product changes and range refreshes.

What Does This Mean for Vape E-Liquid?

The effect could be very noticeable for e-liquid.

A 10ml bottle is subject to £2.64 of VPD/VAT from 1st October 2026. This means retailers will have an additional duty cost to account for.

Typically, retailers have relied on promotions such as 4 for £9.99, but there will be less room than ever to either absorb additional costs or maintain a large saving.

This doesn’t mean every multi-buy deal disappears though, it means the mechanics behind these promotions will have to change.

Retailers will need to balance:

VPD + wholesale cost + operating costs + margin + permitted reductions

rather than just reducing the retail price to drive volume as usual.

What About Prefilled Vape Pods?

The same thing applies to prefilled pods/kits.

Products such as Hayati Pro Max Pods, IVG Pro 12 Pods, Hyola Ultra 30K Pods and other refill systems contain vaping liquid fall within the scope of VPD.

For example, a big puff kit containing 12ml of e-liquid has a VPD/VAT of:

12ml x £0.22 = £2.64 VPD
VAT @ 20% = £0.53p
Total = £3.17

Two kits would contain 24ml, adding £6.34 of VPD & VAT.

While likely, it doesn’t mean the retail price has to increase by exactly £6.34. The final selling price is up to the retailer.

However, duty costs will surely play a part when setting prices in the future.

When this is combined with the new ‘substantial’ discount rules, the usual multi-buy deals become a much more difficult proposition.

What Is The Vape Industry Doing?

The UK vaping industry is already preparing for a period of significant regulatory change.

Unsurprisingly, Government guidance encourages retailers to be ready for the new rules ahead of time, rather than waiting for the legislation to start. A joint statement from Trading Standards and public health organisations also urged businesses to prepare for the October changes.

For responsible vape stores like ourselves, it was clear from the start: review promotional mechanics now, and become an early leader in VPD implementation.

What Does This Mean for Vapers?

For our customers, the biggest change will probably be how vape deals are presented, rather than the removal of competitive pricing.

The days of extremely aggressive vape promotions will become rare. Although we have always aimed for consistently good prices over extreme reductions.

You should expect to see a continued push on:

• Competitive everyday pricing
• Reasonable bulk savings
• Genuine clearance reductions

It will be important to look at the actual value of a product, not the one with the biggest percentage saving.

The Electronic Cigarette Company’s VPD Approach

We have been preparing for VPD and other regulatory changes well ahead of their implementation.

That means we’ve reviewed not just the duty itself, but also the way vape products are priced, promoted and presented to you, our customers.

We will continue to provide clear information as the rules develop, and not make assumptions about which promotions will or won’t be permitted.

As the rules take hold, we’ll continue updating our guidance so you understand what has changed and what it means when buying your usual vape products.

FAQs

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Written by

Richard Fleetwood

Richard joined the business in 2014. Having worked as Customer Service Manager for 3 years, he was since promoted and enjoyed a 9-year stretch as Web/E-commerce Manager, using his vaping expertise to oversee impressive website growth, written content, blogs and weekly customer communications. He now serves as SEO Content Writer. Providing content that gives vapers the help and advice they need to make an informed choice is his specialty. Having also worked in the product & technical department, he is no stranger to breaking down various vape jargon and product specifications into something that is easy to read and understand. An experienced vaper for over 13 years, he is passionate about writing for the website and blogs in support of the industry he loves. He has formed connections with major brands like Innokin, SMOK, VOOPOO and many more. He loves spending time gaming and is also a huge Iron Maiden fan!