Bestselling Vapes in UK After Disposable Ban: What to Stock 2025

Bestselling Vapes UK

The UK’s ban on disposable vapes, effective from June 1, 2025, has fundamentally reshaped the next-generation nicotine category for convenience store retailers. As the dust settles, understanding the nuances of what remains is more critical than ever. Which products are consumers turning to? Where are the new profit opportunities? And how has the flavor landscape shifted now that the most popular single-use devices are off the market? This guide delves into exclusive data to reveal the bestselling and most profitable next-gen nicotine lines, offering crucial insights to help retailers build a successful and compliant range for 2025 and beyond.

The data for this analysis was collected just before the disposable vape ban came into full effect. However, this timing provides a unique and valuable snapshot. Many forward-thinking stores had already begun to draw down their disposable ranges and pivot their focus, while consumer habits were actively shifting in anticipation of the new regulations. By examining the performance of reusable vape systems and other next-gen nicotine products during this transitional period, we can identify clear trends and gain clues as to where shoppers’ tastes and purchasing habits are heading.

The Profit Landscape: E-Liquids Lead the Pack

To understand the category, we analyzed four distinct next-gen nicotine sub-categories: e-liquids, pod refills, vaping devices (hardware), and nicotine pouches & heated tobacco. By compiling the performance of the top 25 bestselling products by national sales value in each of these four categories, a clear profit hierarchy emerges for convenience stores.

Perhaps surprisingly for some, it was e-liquids that generated the most money for stores on average, indicating a strong and established market for open-system vaping. This is a vital piece of insight, as it confirms that a significant number of vapers are using refillable devices and rely on their local convenience stores for their regular e-liquid top-ups. This trend is likely to accelerate post-ban.

Total Average Weekly Profit for Top 25 Bestsellers by Sub-Category

Sub-CategoryTotal Average Weekly Profit per Store
E-liquids£32.34
Pod Refills£26.31
Nicotine Pouches & Heated Tobacco£23.94
Open & Closed Devices (Hardware)£21.28

This data clearly shows that while selling hardware is important for onboarding new users, the consistent, repeatable purchases of consumables like e-liquids and pod refills are the primary profit drivers in the next-gen nicotine category for convenience retailers.

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Top Performing Products: A Mix of E-Liquids, Pods, and Heated Tobacco

When we drill down to individual products, the dominance of e-liquids becomes even clearer. The single most profitable next-gen nicotine product across all sub-categories is an e-liquid: Elux Legend Nic Salts Triple Mango 10ml 20mg. This product alone earns stores an average weekly profit of £7.49, with an impressive average weekly rate of sale of 5.67 units per store. This highlights the power of a popular brand and a flavor profile that resonates with former disposable vape users.

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Top 5 Next-Gen Nicotine Lines by Rate of Sale (Units per Store, per Week)

ProductAverage Weekly Rate of Sale
1. Elux Legend Nic Salts Triple Mango 10ml 20mg (E-liquid)5.67
2. Liberty Flights Dot 20mg Menthol Pods Pro 2ml 2pk (Pod Refill)2.23
3. Oxva Xlim Replacement Top Fill Pods 0.6ohm 3pk (Device Component)1.97
4. Aspire Gotek Replacement Pods 0.8ohm 4.5ml 2pk (Device Component)1.89
5. Iqos Terea Blue 20s (Heated Tobacco)1.73

This list is particularly insightful. It shows a healthy mix of product types, indicating that convenience store shoppers are not just buying one type of product. They are purchasing e-liquids for open systems, pre-filled pods for closed systems, replacement pods for popular refillable devices (Oxva and Aspire), and heated tobacco sticks. This demonstrates the need for a diverse but well-curated range.

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Top 5 Next-Gen Nicotine Products by Average Weekly Profit per Store

ProductAverage Weekly Profit per Store
1. Elux Legend Nic Salts Triple Mango 10ml 20mg£7.49
2. SKE Crystal 4In1 Pod Blue Edition 2ml 20mg 4pk£3.15
3. SKE Crystal 4In1 Pod Rose Edition 2ml 20mg 4pk£2.52
4. Edge e-liquid Very Menthol 10ml 6mg£2.34
5. Velo Freezing Peppermint 17mg 20s (Nicotine Pouch)£2.22

The profit leaders further reinforce the importance of strong e-liquid brands like Elux and Edge, but also highlight the emergence of innovative pod systems like the SKE Crystal 4-in-1, which offers a multi-pod convenience that appeals to former disposable users. The presence of a Velo nicotine pouch in the top 5 also signals the growing importance of this smoke-free, vapor-free category.

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The Role of Major Tobacco Suppliers in the Next-Gen Market

While many of the top-performing products in the next-gen nicotine category come from specialist vape manufacturers like Elux, Oxva, and Aspire, it is crucial for retailers not to overlook the offerings from major tobacco suppliers such as British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI). These companies have strong distribution networks, are easy to source from major wholesalers, and often have significant promotional support behind their brands like Vuse, Velo, Nordic Spirit, and Iqos.

In the pod refill category, Vuse Chilled Mint Pods 1.9ml 18mg 2pk is the sixth bestseller nationwide, earning stores an average weekly profit of 77p. Other major brand products, like Blu Pod Cherry and Vuse Golden Tobacco, also feature in the top 15 bestsellers in this sub-category.

However, it is in the nicotine pouch and heated tobacco segment where these major players truly dominate. The nicotine pouch market is led by BAT’s Velo and JTI’s Nordic Spirit brands. In the heated tobacco space, Philip Morris International’s Iqos is the only brand to appear in the top 25 bestsellers table in this year’s data. Its top performer, Iqos Terea Blue 20s, generates £11.34 in average weekly sales and £1.08 in average weekly profit per store.

Top 5 Nicotine Pouches by Average Weekly Sales per Store

ProductAverage Weekly Sales per Store
1. Velo Freezing Peppermint 17mg 20s£5.09
2. Velo Freezing Peppermint 11mg 20s£3.94
3. Velo Crispy Peppermint 10mg 20s£3.77
4. Nordic Spirit Spearmint X-Strong 11mg 20s£3.06
5. Nordic Spirit Spearmint Strong 9mg 20s£2.80

This data shows a clear consumer preference for mint and peppermint flavors in the nicotine pouch category, with Velo holding a strong market-leading position.

Building the Right Range: The Shift in Flavor Profiles

The data provides a clear overview of the types of refills and top-ups that vapers and other next-gen nicotine users are purchasing from convenience stores. Historically, mint and menthol flavors, followed by tobacco options, have dominated the e-liquid and pod refill categories. However, in the wake of the disposable vape ban, it is significant to note that fruitier lines are becoming increasingly popular.

The top-performing product overall, Elux Legend Nic Salts Triple Mango, is a prime example of this trend. These sweeter, fruit-forward flavors were typically the most popular in the disposable vape market. The data strongly suggests that many of these shoppers are now switching to compliant, reusable next-gen nicotine alternatives but are seeking the same or similar taste profiles they enjoyed in disposables. Therefore, even if traditional mint, menthol, and tobacco options have historically been the bestsellers in your store’s next-gen nicotine range, now is a crucial time to begin adding more popular fruity options to meet this clear shift in consumer demand and capture the business of former disposable vape users.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways for Convenience Retailers

The UK’s ban on disposable vapes has created both challenges and significant opportunities for convenience retailers. The data from “What to Stock 2025” provides a clear roadmap for navigating this new landscape:

  1. Focus on Consumables for Profit: While selling hardware is important for customer acquisition, the real, consistent profit lies in consumables. E-liquids are the most profitable sub-category, followed by pod refills. A strong range of these products is essential.
  2. Embrace Fruity Flavors: The data shows a clear shift towards fruitier flavor profiles, driven by former disposable vape users. Stocking popular fruit-flavored e-liquids and pods, like those from the Elux Legend range, is crucial to capturing this market segment.
  3. Offer a Diverse Range: Consumers are buying a mix of products. A successful range should include popular e-liquids, pre-filled pods for major systems (like Vuse and Blu), replacement pods for popular open systems (like Oxva and Aspire), and a core selection of leading nicotine pouches (Velo, Nordic Spirit) and heated tobacco sticks (Iqos Terea).
  4. Don’t Ignore Big Tobacco Brands: While specialist vape brands are top performers, the next-gen products from major tobacco companies have strong distribution, brand recognition, and promotional support, making them reliable and important lines to stock, especially in the nicotine pouch and heated tobacco categories.

By understanding these trends and curating a range that reflects the new realities of the market, convenience store retailers can not only survive the disposable vape ban but thrive by becoming the go-to destination for the UK’s next generation of nicotine consumers.

Matthew Ma
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