What UK Marketers Need to Know About UK E-Cigarette Advertising Laws

If you’re marketing or managing communications for vape or e-cigarette brands in the UK, understanding the rules is non-negotiable.

Since May 2016, The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations have placed tight restrictions on how these products, especially nicotine-containing e-cigarettes can be promoted.

Here’s a simplified breakdown to help you stay compliant while still making an impact. 

The Basics

Since May 2016, the UK’s Tobacco and Related Products Regulations have restricted how nicotine-containing e-cigarettes (not licensed as medicines) can be marketed.

If you’re working with vape or e-cigarette brands, this applies to you.

What You Can’t Do

• No advertising nicotine e-cigarettes in:
  • Newspapers
  • Magazines
  • Online media (including social media ads)
  • Other electronic media
• No celebrity endorsements or using health professionals to promote products.
• No targeting or appealing to under-18s. This includes using youthful characters, slang, or people who look under 25.
• No health or medicinal claims unless the product is licensed by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency).

What You Can Do

• On your own website, you can share factual product info such as ingredients, usage instructions, or device specs.
• You can show your product as a tobacco alternative, but not as a guaranteed way to quit smoking unless it’s MHRA-approved.
• Be clear that it’s an e-cigarette, not a tobacco product.
• Always state if it contains nicotine.

Stay Smart and Socially Responsible

Your campaign must be socially responsible and should never glamorize vaping.

Even your choice of models matters, those shown in marketing must clearly be over 25, and anyone under 18 should never be depicted using the product.

Also, don’t advertise in any medium where more than 25% of the audience is under 18. This includes social platforms with younger-skewed demographics.

Why It Matters

The rules are in place to protect public health, especially young people. For brands and marketers, it’s about navigating space responsibly without crossing regulatory lines. If you’re unsure about a campaign, your safest bet is to stick to factual messaging and consult legal guidance when needed.

Final Tip

Regulations evolve, and enforcement is real. Stay up to date through AIRSCREAM’s website as we dive into to regulatory updates and always err on the side of caution.