Imperial Brands is urging UK retailers to respond to the government’s latest consultation on the packaging, appearance, and in-store display of vapes, nicotine pouches, and other nicotine products before the Oct. 2 deadline. The company says retailer input will be important given the potential costs and operational disruption associated with changes to store layouts, displays, and packaging.
The government is expected to respond by the end of the year, with new display restrictions on vapes and nicotine pouches proposed for June 2027. Product appearance requirements would follow later and could also apply to cigarette papers, herbal smoking products, and heated tobacco devices.
Imperial said it supports measures to prevent youth access but says new requirements should be “practical, evidence-based, and workable for responsible law-abiding retailers.” The company warns that mandatory closed storage could require new fixtures or store-layout changes, while standardized white packaging could make products harder to distinguish and increase transaction times. It also says implementation timelines could be challenging where physical modifications are required.
Imperial is encouraging retailers to submit their views through the government consultation portal, arguing their “real-world retail experience” is critical to developing practical and proportionate regulations. The consultation comes ahead of other significant UK changes, including Oct. 29’s minimum sales age of 18 for all consumer nicotine products and the phased annual increase in the tobacco sales age beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
