WAITROSE has announced that it will not sell single-use vapes amidst concerns over the product’s appeal to youngsters and its potential environmental impact.
The supermarket raised concerns over the risk the product poses to youngsters through the ‘appealing’ bright colours and ‘fashionable’ nature of the vapes, as well as their sweet, soft drink, and dessert-based flavours.
Furthermore, Waitrose raised concerns over used vaping devices – which contain plastics and ‘valuable’ lithium – ending up in landfill. It added that vapes are thought to account for about ten tonnes of lithium, which it said could be reused.
Charlotte Di Cello, commercial director of Waitrose, said, “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.
“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.”
