The Vape Report 2024

Haypp operates internationally and in this report we compare trends and consumer behaviour across three markets: the UK, which is an established market for vaping; Sweden, where the majority of nicotine consumers tend to use oral products such as snus or nicotine pouches; and finally, Germany, where cigarette smoking rates remain relatively high.

The report is based on a survey of over 1,500 vapers across the UK, Germany, and Sweden. The survey was commissioned by Haypp and conducted by Censuswide in August of 2024.

We believe that this report will make a constructive contribution to the broader debates surrounding vapes in the media and amongst policymakers and, importantly, give a voice in the debate to some of the millions of vapers across Europe.

• 97% of the vapers are current or former smokers, and 3% are ‘never smokers’.

• 33% of vape users say they started vaping to help them give up smoking.
• Vape users feel there is a significant health benefit to using vapes rather than cigarettes: 72% of vapers say they feel better since making the switch.
• Yet vapers ranked vapes 4.6 out of 10 for harmfulness and cigarettes at 6.5 out of 10, suggesting that they significantly underestimate the harm of smoking. 

• Almost 30% of vapers said they would smoke cigarettes if they could not vape.
• Over 30% said they would be open to purchasing illegal vapes
• Almost 40% of vapers said they would either switch to cigarettes completely or use flavourless vapes in combination with cigarettes if flavours were not available. 

• Vapers are twice as likely to buy when underage from a brick-and-mortar shop (16%) as from an online retailer (7%).
• 43% of vape users say they bought their first vape when underage and 39% they had purchased vapes for minors.
• For vapers, online vape shopping is the norm.  85% across the three markets buy at least some vapes online.

• Poor recycling rates are a serious challenge. Just 9% of vape users say they always recycle their used vapes.

A knee-jerk regulatory reaction risks undoing the positive public health impact that is being achieved as large numbers of smokers switch to vaping. 

To maintain and accelerate this public health impact, we believe policymakers should consider four principles:

Applying a higher rate of tax to the most harmful products – in this case, the cigarette - sends a clear signal to consumers as to the danger they represent. Setting tax rates based on the relative risk of the product should be the cornerstone of any tobacco control policy.

The UK has commissioned independent reports on vape use and used the data to inform their policy on promoting vapes as an alternative to cigarettes. They have seen the benefits of evidence-based policy with a reduction in smoking rates. Data and scientific evidence must continue to be the foundation for regulation.

The UK has commissioned independent reports on vape use and used the data to inform their policy on promoting vapes as an alternative to cigarettes. They have seen the benefits of evidence-based policy with a reduction in smoking rates. Data and scientific evidence must continue to be the foundation for regulation.

Consumers should be entitled to fact-based information about the products they are buying but current regulations make it difficult to communicate openly with consumers, whether that be about the relative risk of the product compared to cigarettes or the recyclability or environmental credentials of the product.  It is critically important that important public information or informed debate is not curtailed through clumsy or overzealous restrictions on marketing or communication.