The results of new research released yesterday reveals a more-than thirty-fold increase in the number of vape shops in the UK during the past five years – from less than 100 in 2013 to 2,850 in 2018.
The research, carried out by the Centre for Economic and Business Research on-behalf of Philip Morris Limited, found that the rapid spread of vape shops across the country has coincided with significant falls in the prevalence of smoking, with some of the largest declines in smoking rates during the past five years being observed in regions with a particularly prominent vaping sector.
On a wider front, vape shops are becoming a significant presence on the high street while other stores, particularly those of grocers, newsagents and electrical goods retailers, are in sharp decline. Forty percent of vape shops were found to be trading from premises that were previously vacant, and vape shop owners are estimated now to employ close to 6,000 people directly in-store.
A PM press note announcing the research findings said that UK sales of vape products had reached £1 billion in 2017 and that this was expected to reach £2 billion by 2020, according to Euromonitor International.
The research found that the North West was the UK’s number one vaping hotspot with 456 vape shops – one for every 2,019 adult smokers in the region. The region had experienced also one of the biggest declines in smoking prevalence, with the adult smoking rate falling by four percent between 2013 and 2017.
“This research clearly shows the huge contribution vape shops are making in helping smokers switch away from cigarettes,” Mark MacGregor, PMI UK corporate affairs director, was quoted as saying. “According to ASH, 50 percent of all smokers do not realise that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than smoking. Vape shops have an incredibly important role to play in raising awareness of the various alternatives to smoking, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.”
Top 5 hotspots
Vaping hotspots by total number of vape shops
| Vape shops (2018) | Smoking prevalence 2013 | Smoking prevalence 2017 | Change in smoking prevalence | |
| North West | 456 | 20.0% | 16.1% | -4.0% |
| South East | 319 | 17.2% | 13.7% | -3.5% |
| London | 309 | 17.1% | 14.6% | -2.5% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 304 | 20.5% | 17.0% | -3.5% |
| West Midlands | 265 | 17.8% | 14.2% | -3.5% |