The government has decided your vape needs taxing. From 1 October 2026 the UK brings in a brand-new Vaping Products Duty (VPD) — an excise tax on e-liquid that pushes prices up right across the industry. Here's the plain-English version: what it is, how much it adds, when it lands, and why — because we over-brewed on purpose — your Riot prices aren't changing until 1 April 2027.
What is the UK Vaping Products Duty?
Vaping Products Duty is a new excise tax on e-liquid, introduced by HMRC and taking effect 1 October 2026. It's charged at a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid, and that rate is the same whatever the nicotine strength. It applies to any liquid meant to be vaporised, so 0mg / nicotine-free e-liquid is taxed too. VAT is then charged on top of the duty, so the real shelf-price rise is a little more than the duty figure alone.
How much will e-liquid prices go up?
Because the duty is charged per 10ml, the bigger the bottle, the bigger the increase. And because VAT (20%) is charged on the duty too, the real amount you'd feel at the till is a bit higher than the duty figure alone. Here's the full picture — and what you'll actually pay at Riot in the meantime:
| Product | Duty added (from 1 Oct) | Real extra cost, incl. VAT | Your Riot price till 1 April 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10ml nic salt / e-liquid | +£2.20 | ≈ +£2.64 | No change |
| 50ml shortfill | +£11.00 | ≈ +£13.20 | No change |
| 100ml shortfill | +£22.00 | ≈ +£26.40 | No change |
So once VAT is added, a 10ml bottle really costs about £2.64 more across the industry, a 50ml around £13.20 more, and a 100ml shortfill roughly £26.40 more — the bigger the bottle, the bigger the hit. And to be clear, only the e-liquid is taxed: your devices, pod hardware and coils aren't in scope, so a full kit doesn't jump in price because of this. Everywhere except here, for a while.
When does the vape tax start?
Two dates matter:
- 1 October 2026 — Vaping Products Duty comes into force; newly produced stock is taxed.
- 1 April 2027 — the end of the transition. Up to this date, retailers can keep selling stock produced or imported before 1 October 2026 without a duty stamp; from 1 April 2027, every vaping product sold in the UK must carry one.
What's a duty stamp — and how to spot a legit seller
A duty stamp is HMRC's proof that the tax has been paid on a product. From 1 April 2027 it becomes an offence to sell vaping products in the UK without one, and penalties can include stock seizure, fines and even prosecution. For you as a shopper that's a useful shortcut: after that date, a legitimate e-liquid carries a duty stamp — anything unstamped is either older pre-duty stock being sold within the rules, or it's illicit. Stick to established UK retailers and you don't need to think about it.
Why Riot prices aren't moving until 1 April 2027
We don't do panic. We do planning. We saw the duty coming and deliberately over-manufactured our core range — the nic salts, shortfills and best-sellers you actually reach for — before it landed. Because UK rules let us sell that pre-duty stock through to 1 April 2027, we're passing the head start straight to you instead of hiking prices on day one.
In plain terms: same juice, same price, until 1 April 2027. No stealth increases on 1 October, no "beat the tax" gimmicks, no scrambling. Just the flavours you love at the price you already know, for as long as our stock lasts.
Can you actually avoid the vape tax?
Long-term, no — once it's in force the duty is baked into UK prices and can't be legally dodged, and importing from abroad doesn't get around it either (imported e-liquid is caught by the same rules). Anyone advertising permanently "tax-free" UK vapes is either clearing old stock or bending the truth.
What's completely legitimate is a brand holding pre-duty stock at pre-duty prices during the sell-through window — which is exactly what we're doing. You don't need to stockpile; you just need to shop with someone who planned ahead.
What happens after 1 April 2027?
Once our pre-duty stock has sold through, the duty applies to us like everyone else and prices adjust accordingly. Until then nothing changes at Riot, so there's genuinely no need to bulk-buy out of fear — build a bundle when you fancy it, top up on your nic salts, and carry on. If you'd rather keep a little extra in the cupboard, e-liquid keeps well (typically 1–2 years unopened), so that's your call, not a countdown.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the UK vape tax?
£2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid, a flat rate regardless of nicotine strength, from 1 October 2026. VAT is added on top of the duty.
Are Riot's prices going up on 1 October 2026?
No. We over-manufactured ahead of the duty, so Riot prices stay the same for customers until 1 April 2027 — while our pre-duty stock lasts.
Does the vape tax apply to 0mg / nicotine-free e-liquid?
Yes. The duty covers any liquid intended to be vaporised, so nicotine-free shortfills and 0mg e-liquids are taxed at the same £2.20 per 10ml across the industry.
When does the vape tax start in the UK?
1 October 2026. Retailers can keep selling stock produced or imported before that date, without a duty stamp, up to 1 April 2027 — after which every vaping product sold in the UK must carry a duty stamp.
Will disposable-alternative pods be taxed too?
Yes — the duty is on the e-liquid itself, so pre-filled pods and any nicotine or nicotine-free vaping liquid are all in scope (the pod hardware and devices aren't). Worth noting this is a tax change, and it's separate from the single-use disposable vape ban that came into force back in June 2025.
Same juice, same price, till 1 April 2027. Shop tax free liquids, all e-liquid, grab your nic salts, or build a bundle. You must be 18+ to buy.
Source: HMRC — Introduction of Vaping Products Duty from 1 October 2026. Figures correct at time of writing; check HMRC for the latest.
