The Vaping Products Duty officially started on 1 October 2026. If you have ordered from us since then, you may have noticed something. Very little has changed. Your favourite flavours are still here, and so are your usual prices. So what is going on? In short, the duty works differently from a sudden price rise at the till. This guide explains what happens now, what the sell-through period means, and why your next order should feel familiar.
What changed on the 1st of October
From 1 October, every vaping liquid made in or imported into the UK carries a duty of £2.20 per 10ml. The rate stays the same whatever the nicotine strength, so 0mg liquid pays it too. Devices, coils and empty pods sit outside the duty, because it only covers the liquid. On the same day, tobacco duty also rose. For the full background on why the duty exists, our Vaping Products Duty explainer covers it in plain English.
Why prices haven't jumped overnight
The answer lies in when the duty applies. HMRC charges it at the point a liquid is made or imported, not at the checkout. So stock produced or imported before 1 October never picked up the duty in the first place. Shops can still sell that stock. In fact, HMRC states that passing on the cost is a commercial decision for each business.
That is exactly what you see at My Vapery right now. We are still selling stock that arrived before the duty started, and we have kept it at its existing price. In other words, you will not pay a duty you do not owe. As a result, your next order should look much like your last one.
The sell-through period, explained
To smooth the change, HMRC introduced a six-month sell-through period. It runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Think of it as a bridge between the old shelves and the new ones.
What it covers
During this window, retailers can keep selling unstamped products made or imported before 1 October. Meanwhile, any new stock that carries the duty must show a valid duty stamp. So two kinds of product can quite legally sit side by side for a while.
Is unstamped stock still legal to buy?
Yes, provided a legitimate retailer sells it and it predates 1 October. GOV.UK sets out the rules clearly in its guidance for retailers and wholesalers. At My Vapery, every product still comes through the same genuine, authorised supply chain, stamped or not.
What happens on 1 April 2027
From 1 April 2027, every vaping product on sale in the UK must carry a valid duty stamp. After that date, shops can no longer sell unstamped stock. By then, the sell-through period will have done its job, and stamped products will fill the shelves.
What you might notice on your next order
Over the coming months, you may spot a small change on some packaging. New duty-paid products carry a duty stamp. It is a rectangular, tamper-evident label in either yellow or red. Later on, stamps will also include a scannable code. In due course, HMRC plans to let shoppers scan these codes to check a product is authentic.
For now, though, you may receive a mix of stamped and unstamped items in the same order. That is completely normal during the sell-through period. Both are legitimate, and both meet the same standards you expect from us.
So when will prices change?
E-liquid prices will change gradually rather than all at once. As each pre-duty batch sells through, new duty-paid stock replaces it. That happens product by product, so different lines will move at different times. Meanwhile, devices, coils and empty pods stay outside the duty altogether.
When a price does change, it will reflect the duty honestly, with no hidden mark-ups. We said that before the duty began, and it still stands. So you can keep shopping with the same confidence as before.
Curious how the duty affects each format? Our guide to the cheapest way to keep vaping breaks it down. Likewise, if shortfills are your usual pick, see our piece on shortfills after the duty.
Is there any need to rush?
Not at all. Pre-duty stock will not disappear all at once, and the sell-through period lasts until the end of March, but it will be only while pre-duty stocks last. If you want to make the most of it, simply order as you normally would, and keep your bottles somewhere cool and dark.
Quick answers
- Do I need to do anything differently? No. Keep ordering as usual. The duty and the stamps are the supply chain's job, not yours.
- Is 0mg e-liquid affected? Yes. The duty covers all vaping liquid by volume, including nicotine-free bottles, once new stock arrives.
- Are devices and coils taxed? No. The duty applies only to the liquid itself.
- Why do some products have a stamp and others don't? Stamped items are newer, duty-paid stock. Unstamped items predate 1 October, and shops can sell them until 31 March 2027.
- What happens after 31 March 2027? Every vaping product on sale must then carry a valid duty stamp.
Same range, same promise
The Vaping Products Duty changes how the liquid in your bottle gets taxed. However, it does not change what goes into that bottle, or who you buy it from. Every nic salt, shortfill and pod kit at My Vapery remains genuine, tested and fully compliant. So browse our nic salts, shortfills, refillable pod kits and prefilled pod kits as usual, and order with total confidence.
And if you are moving away from smoking, the NHS guide to vaping to quit offers balanced, practical advice.
