Superdrug is stopping the sale of single-use vapes from across all its UK and Ireland stores, following the news that nearly five million disposable vapes are thrown away every week.
Single-use vapes have come under fire in recent weeks for the vast wastage they cause, with many calling for an outright ban. The number of disposable single-use vapes being thrown away in the UK each week has soared by almost 400% in just one year to nearly five million per week, according to YouGov data.
The high street health and beauty retailer is exiting the single-use vape market due to these ongoing environmental concerns, removing brands such as Vuse GO and Flavaah bars from its shelves.
“The rate that consumers are using single-use vapes and discarding them is worrying and alarming for the environment,” said Superdrug’s head of ESG Lucy Morton-Channon.
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“Many of these single-use vapes contain lithium batteries, which should be disposed of responsibly but many end up in landfill, and incorrect battery disposal can lead to a risk of fires. The lasting effects that single use vapes are having on the environment needs to be addressed, and I am pleased that we’ve decided to remove them from all stores.”
Ghada Beal, Superdrug’s healthcare director, added that while it was still the retailer’s responsibility to provide the best choice for consumers looking for alternatives to cigarettes: “we need to be responsible about the growing trend in disposable vapes among young people, and the lasting effect on the environment.”
The YouGov research which triggered Superdrug’s decision was commissioned by not-for-profit organisation Material Focus, and also highlighted that there was enough lithium in the discarded products to create 5,000 electric car batteries a year.
“The problem with single-use vapes has gotten further out of control,” said executive director Scott Butler.
“Single-use vapes are a strong contender for being the most environmentally wasteful, damaging and dangerous consumer product ever made.”
