News on August 25th, according to foreign reports, according to the British electronic cigarette industry association UKVIA, as much as 60% of the disposable electronic cigarette products currently sold in the UK are illegal.

John Dunne, director-general of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), estimated in an interview that 40% to 60% of single-use e-cigarettes currently sold in the country do not comply with domestic laws or are counterfeit.

"Based on the amount of illegal products I've seen on the market, the amount of illegal sales being reported, and what's being reported according to trade standards, I believe this is a big problem, and a huge one," he explained. "I get maybe 200 to 400 reports of illegal sellers in the UK every month. All of them are sent to MHRA and Trading Standards for enforcement."

Earlier this month, officers from West Yorkshire Trading Standards and Kirklees Town Centre teams seized more than 3,000 illicit e-cigarettes worth between £35 and £40,000.

He warned that irregularities among retailers could disrupt a category with huge potential.

“This is a market with huge growth potential for retailers and if it is allowed to grow responsibly, shortsightedness and ignoring compliance will have detrimental effects. And could lead to things like banning the category, banning flavours Or simple packaging or something like that.”

Dunn advises retailers who are unsure of what to stock to check the available guides, including those on the UKVIA website, but he says there are some limitations retailers need to be aware of if they want to get up to speed on the rules of thumb.

He also called for more action against retailers caught selling vaping products to people under 18. UKVIA recently outlined a series of measures to crack down on retailers selling e-cigarettes to children and young people, including a £10,000 fine and a national retail licensing scheme.

"When I talk to retailers, I ask them to really think about what they're doing and whether they want their kids to have access to these products. If the answer is no, then why are you selling them?"