At Vape Buy, customer safety and legal compliance are our top priorities. We guarantee that every single product sold on vapebuy.co.uk is 100% compliant with the UK’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) regulations.
Below, we explain what these regulations are, why they exist, and how they protect you as a vaper.
What is the TPD?
The Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is a set of safety regulations originally introduced by the European Union in 2016 and fully adopted into UK law. Its primary goal is to ensure a high standard of health protection for consumers and to strictly regulate how tobacco and nicotine products are manufactured, labelled, and sold.
While the name suggests it focuses on tobacco, the TPD also governs Electronic Cigarettes and E-Liquids because the nicotine used in vaping is traditionally derived from the tobacco plant.
Key Regulations: How TPD Affects You
The TPD introduced strict rules to ensure quality and safety. If you have noticed that vape tanks are smaller or nicotine bottles are capped at 10ml, this is due to TPD.
Here are the six main rules that Vape Buy adheres to:
1. Tank Capacity Limit (2ml)
By law, any vape tank, pod, or disposable device containing nicotine can hold a maximum of 2ml of e-liquid. This is why you will see “2ml” listed on the specifications of all our hardware.
2. Maximum Bottle Size (10ml)
E-liquid that contains nicotine cannot be sold in bottles larger than 10ml. This applies to all “Nic Salts” and “50/50” e-liquids.
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Note: Larger bottles (50ml/100ml) are legal because they contain 0mg nicotine. These are known as “Shortfills” (see below).
3. Nicotine Strength Limit (20mg)
The maximum legal nicotine strength in the UK is 20mg/ml (2.0%). You will never find legal e-liquid in the UK stronger than this. This ensures a safety cap consistent across the industry.
4. Child-Resistant Packaging
All e-liquids containing nicotine must feature child-proof caps and tamper-evident seals to prevent accidental ingestion by children. The nozzles must also be designed to prevent leakage during refilling.
5. Ingredient Bans
Strict safety standards prohibit certain additives. Products sold on Vape Buy are guaranteed to be free from:
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Caffeine & Taurine: Stimulants are strictly banned.
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Diacetyl: An ingredient linked to “popcorn lung,” which is banned in UK e-liquids.
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Colourings: Additives that colour the vapour emissions are prohibited.
6. MHRA Notification
Before any e-cigarette or e-liquid can be sold in the UK, it must be notified to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This ensures the government has fully vetted the ingredients and emissions of every product.
What about “Shortfills”?
You may notice we sell 50ml and 100ml bottles of e-liquid. These are fully TPD compliant because they contain 0mg nicotine.
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These are known as Shortfills.
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They are sold with “space” in the bottle for you to add a compliant 10ml Nicotine Shot (sold separately).
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Once mixed, you create a larger volume of nicotine-containing liquid legally.
The Vape Buy Guarantee
We take our responsibility seriously.
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Vetted Suppliers: We only work with established brands (like Elf Bar, Vaporesso, Vampire Vape) who provide full MHRA certification for their products.
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Strict Quality Control: We do not stock “grey market” imports. Everything in our warehouse is designed specifically for the UK market.
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Transparent Labelling: Every product we sell clearly displays health warnings (“This product contains nicotine…”) and a full list of ingredients.
If you have any questions about the safety or legality of a product, or if you need help understanding the regulations, our team is here to help.
Contact Us: support@vapebuy.co.uk