Quick Trick To Check If Your Disposable Vape Brand Is Genuine Or Not, Amidst Growing Concerns Over Illicit Products

As the UK government proposes a ban on disposable vapes in April 2025 due to concerns over youth vaping, the industry braces for change. Unfortunately, as with many bans, this ban of disposables will likely lead to a flood of illicit vapes coming into the country. Illicit vapes fall outside the tight regulatory oversight of regulated products and won’t have gone through the same stringent testing and quality assurance. It is critical to ensure your vape is authentic, to avoid these risks. 

Most disposable vape brands feature anti-counterfeit checks on their packaging, including a QR code, a security number and a hologram. Vapers simply need to scratch off the coating to reveal a security number, scan the QR code and enter the security number, revealing if your vape is legitimate or not.

Evapo, a nationwide vape retailer, have recently published all of the major disposable vape brands verification sites for those unsure if their vape is real or not. A recent BBC investigation revealed that illicit vapes can contain dangerous ingredients, including a significant amount of heavy metals such as lead, nickel, chromium, and more.* 

Not all disposable vapes have anti-counterfeit checks on packaging so here are some additional ways to determine if your vape is genuine and safe: 

• Check the packaging: All legitimate vapes will come in factory-sealed packaging, if this is missing then it’s likely to be fake.
• Check the printing quality: Look closely at the printing and check if there are any misspellings, low-resolution images or uneven printing. 
• Nicotine warning: All vape products containing nicotine will have a warning label, if this is missing then the product is likely non-compliant.
• High nicotine strength: The highest nicotine strength allowed within the UK is 20 mg/ml. If the product is advertised as having a higher strength than this, the product will be fake. 
• Retailer reputation: Only buy vapes from reputable retailers. Check reviews and speak to others who have bought from there.
• Price discrepancy: If the price is too good to be true then it probably is too good to be true. Authentic vapes are usually within a certain price range, anything lower is likely to be counterfeit.
• Authentication sticker: If a vape is missing an authentication sticker then it could be counterfeit. Many reputable vape brands include serial numbers or authenticity codes on their products for verification. Check online if your brand of disposable vape includes this on their packaging or not. If they don’t, refer to the other bullet points to verify the authenticity.
• Build quality: Authentic vapes are typically well-built with attention to detail. Look for any signs of poor craftsmanship, such as loose parts, rough edges, or cheap materials.
• Performance: Fake vapes may not perform as well as genuine ones do. If you notice any issues with vapour production, flavour quality, or battery life, it could be a sign that the product is fake.

Over the last 12 months alone, more than 4.5 million vapes were seized at UK borders**, a staggering four times more than the figures reported in 2022. In light of these concerning developments, disposable vape brands are taking proactive measures to protect consumers.

Andrej Kuttruf, CEO and founder of Evapo, stated, “The availability of verification pages is a positive step towards ensuring consumer safety in the vaping industry. With the rise in illicit vapes containing harmful substances, it’s essential for consumers to have access to tools that enable them to verify the authenticity of their products.”