Many general retailers in New Zealand have found a loophole to flavored vape restrictions by setting up stores within stores, research from Massey University has found. Regulations permit only specialist vape retailers to sell the full range of vape flavors if vaping products make up at least 70% of their sales, while general retailers are limited to mint, menthol, and tobacco flavors. The study found that 44% of 160 specialist vape outlets surveyed operated within larger stores, such as dairies and gas stations.
Casey Costello said specialist retailers are not allowed to display products outside their stores or allow under-18s to enter, adding that enforcement activity has increased and youth vaping rates are reportedly declining. Meanwhile, the Vaping Industry Association of New Zealand (VIANZ) acknowledged the store-within-a-store model as an unintended loophole and expressed support for closing it, stating specialist vape retailers should operate as standalone premises with strict age-verification and compliance standards while preserving adult access to regulated smoke-free alternatives.
