The ban on disposable vapes has been a flop because makers replace outlawed devices with reusable lookalikes that most users still bin, figures show.
Sales of single-use vapes were banned on June 1 after their sweet flavours and bright packaging were blamed for fuelling a boom in underage vapers and piles of discarded vapes.
But brands have responded with copycat reusable vapes with near identical names, flavours, designs and prices.
Internal industry figures leaked to The Mail on Sunday show most of these lookalikes are being thrown away.
In the first month after the ban, 5.3 million of the copycat vapes were sold – but just 1.4 million refills for the devices, figures for vape makers by analysts Nielsen show.
