Waitrose has announced a “complete withdrawal” from the disposable vapes market.
The retailer, which currently operates seven stores in and around Glasgow and Edinburgh, had already decided not to stock a number of disposable vaping products, but has now opted to de-list all single use vaping products, including two variants of the Ten Motives “cigalike” brand.
The move, Waitrose said, came amid “growing environmental concerns” about single use vaping devices, containing both plastics and valuable lithium ending up in landfill.
“Collectively they are thought to account for about 10 tonnes of this metal – which could be used in car batteries going to landfill each year,” Waitrose said.
Charlotte Di Cello, Commercial Director for Waitrose, added: “We are a retailer driven by doing the right thing, so selling single use vapes is not something we could justify given the impact on both the environment and the health of young people.
“While we have robust controls under our Challenge 25 Policy, we are concerned about the risk these products pose by appealing to younger people – as well the environmental impact.
“We had already decided it wasn’t right to stock the fashionable bright coloured devices which are seeing rapid growth – so this decision is the final jigsaw piece in our clear decision not to be part of the single use vaping market.”
