Tag: VPZ

VPZ, Morrisons Partner to Open 10 Vape Shops

Greig Fowler, director at VPZ
VPZ, a UK vaping retailer, is set to open 10 new stores by as part of a groundbreaking partnership with the supermarket chain Morrisons, with plans to expand further during 2025.
The new in-store outlets will expand the brand’s presence in communities throughout the UK, with
seven key locations in Leeds Hunslet, Birmingham Stirchley, Glenrothes, Peterhead, Darlington,
Stratford and Grantham.
The collaboration will also introduce a new innovative mobile pod concept for customer parking
areas, with two planned for Nottingham and one in Rotherham.
The partnership will drive positive change by making stop-smoking services more accessible in
communities throughout the country while educating smokers on the benefits of more sustainable
vaping products.
Greig Fowler, director at VPZ, said: “Our partnership with Morrisons to open 10 new stores is a
pivotal step in our mission to transform the health of our nation by empowering more people to
become smoke-free.
“I believe that together we will be making it easier for smokers to access the resources, help and
education they need to quit smoking, while also offering a convenient and sustainable shopping
experience.”
December 12, 2024
VPZ Expected to Open 15 More Stores by End of 2023

Doug Mutter/Photo: VPZ
VPZ, the largest vaping retailer in the UK, announced it would be increasing its footprint to over 160 stores by opening 15 new stores across the UK by the end of 2023.
The growth comes amidst VPZ’s launch of its new vape recycling service in partnership with WasteCare across all its stores in response to the rising environmental concerns over disposable vapes.
“We are delighted to be continuing our brand expansion and mission of supporting adult smokers to quit whilst bringing our own innovative recycling services to tackle the negative environmental impact of disposable vaping,” said Doug Mutter, director at VPZ.
VPZ is also calling on both the UK Government to introduce tighter controls and licensing for selling vaping products both in physical and online retail environments.
To date, Edinburgh-based VPZ has already helped over 700k smokers in the UK quit since it was established in 2012, according to the retailer.
In March VPZ said it planned to have opened 20 additional stores by the end of the year as its expansion plans continue.
September 11, 2023
UK’s Leading Vape Shops Support Disposables Ban

Credit: VPZ
The head of one of the leading retailers and manufacturers of vaping products in the United Kingdom says he would support a ban on disposable vapes as long as it did not create a black market.
Doug Mutter, company director of VPZ, said a ban in Australia had led to unsafe products being sold there illegally.
He insists the industry recognizes that the environmental impact of single-use products needs to be addressed.
An urgent review of disposable products was ordered by the Scottish government and is due to be released within days, reports Yahoo! News.
It was commissioned after a campaign by climate activist Laura Young who had been collecting dozens of disposable vapes each day while walking her dog Cooper in Dundee.
The review is likely to quantify the scale of the problem and lay out the options available to ministers.
Disposable vapes are a problem because they contain lithium batteries which should be taken to a recycling facility for disposal.
But millions are either discarded or thrown into bins each year where they can cause a fire at processing facilities.
Refillable vapes are available which are much cheaper to use in the long term and have less of an environmental impact.
VPZ has 150 stores throughout the UK.
Mutter – who is also the director of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) – said disposables have a place for smokers who would like to try vaping but do not want to invest in reusable systems.
He acknowledges the environmental impact of them and their attractiveness to young people who do not already smoke.
“For me, there should be a ban on disposables that we would support if there were proper punishments and policing put in place to enforce the ban and ensure that a black market doesn’t bubble up,” said Mutter.
Enforcement should be funded by a licensing scheme, he said, which retailers would have to be a part of to sell vaping products.
June 26, 2023
VPZ Plans to Open 20 More Stores by End of Year
Credit: VPZ
VPZ says it plans to have opened 20 additional stores by the end of the year as its expansion plans continue.
The Scottish vaping group’s director Doug Mutter is calling on the U.K. Government to follow the lead of New Zealand and increase regulation of the vaping market.
Edinburgh-headquartered VPZ plans to grow to 170 stores by the end of the year, according to insider.co.UK.
The chain has this year already opened stores in Hexham, Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby and Newquay.
It says Falkirk and seven “major shopping center sites” are going through the acquisition process and that further growth is planned in the North East of England and Yorkshire.
Mutter also called for tighter controls and licensing for selling vaping products.
“At VPZ, we are firmly focused on helping adult smokers quit and have helped over 700,000 people quit smoking since we were established in 2012,” he said.
March 13, 2023
UK Vape Retailer VPZ Announces Expansion Goals

The UK’s largest vaping retailer VPZ has announced its intent to open 10 additional stores by the end of the year.
It comes as the business called for the UK Government to introduce tighter controls and licensing for selling vaping products.
The business will increase its portfolio to 160 locations across England and Scotland, including stores in London and Glasgow, according to a press release.
VPZ made the announcement as it takes its mobile vape clinic on the road throughout the country.
It comes as Government ministers continue to promote vaping, with Public Health England claiming e-cigarettes carry a “fraction of the risk of smoking”.
However, last month research indicated a steep rise in underage vaping over the last five years, according to Action on Smoking and Health.
Doug Mutter, director of VPZ, said that VPZ is spearheading the fight against the nation’s No. 1 killer – smoking.
“Our plans to open 10 new stores and the launch of our mobile vape clinic responds 100 percent to our ambition to engage with more smokers throughout the country and help them take the first steps on their quit journey.”
Mutter added that the e-cigarette sector could be improved, calling for greater scrutiny of those selling products,
“At the moment we have a challenge in the industry where imported, many unregulated, disposable vaping products are readily available from local convenience stores, supermarkets and several other general retailers with no age verification control or regulation in many of these,” said Mutter.
“We are urging the UK Government to act now and follow best practice from countries like New Zealand, where flavoured products can only be sold from specialist licensed vaping stores, where a challenge 25 policy is in place and consultation is aimed towards adult smokers and vapers.
“VPZ is also in favor of substantial fines for those who breach the rules.”
August 22, 2022
England: Number of Young Smokers Up During Lockdown
Photo: marjan4782
The number of young adults who smoke in England rose by about a quarter in the first lockdown, reports The Guardian, citing new research from University College London (UCL) and the University of Sheffield said. At the same time, the number of people who quit smoking nearly doubled across all groups.
“The first lockdown was unprecedented in the way it changed people’s day-to-day lives. We found that many smokers took this opportunity to stop smoking, which is fantastic,” said Sarah Jackson, the lead author and a principal research fellow at UCL.
“However, the first lockdown was also a period of great stress for many people, and we saw rates of smoking and risky drinking increase among groups hardest hit by the pandemic.”
While the widespread belief that smoking and drinking relieved stress could be a factor in the apparent increased prevalence among people aged 18 to 34 years, the researchers pointed out that their data did not indicate what the causes may be.
Doug Mutter
Doug Mutter, director at U.K. vaping specialist VPZ, warned that the country is now in danger of missing its 2030 smoke free targets.
“Smoking statistics are continuing to rise as the pandemic has triggered an increase in smoking rates and the public health problem has been compounded by funding cuts for NHS stop smoking services and local support groups,” he said.
“There has been a lack of funding and joined up strategy to tackle smoking and we are now sleep-walking into another public health crisis with a new generation of smokers being consigned to an early death or serious disease.
Mutter pointed to a new report from Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group, which backs vaping as an effective treatment for tobacco dependency and recommends that it should be included and encouraged in all treatment pathways.
A VPZ consumer survey from September 2020 found that among the 14,000 smokers served:
25 percent of people said they were unable to buy their vaping products because of store closures.
26 percent of smokers said they has increased the number of cigarettes they smoked during lockdown
65 percent of people claimed they received no advice during lockdown of the best ways to quit smoking, through either NHS or online resources.
58 percent of people said they did not feel healthier coming out of the initial lockdown.
45 percent of people said their mental health was affected during the lockdown.
August 26, 2021
VPZ Launches AEQ Pod Device Kit in U.K. Stores
A new pod device has been launched by the largest vapor retailer in the U.K. VPZ’s AEQ Pod Device Kit has been designed and developed in VPZ’s purpose-built facility in Edinburgh to support smokers looking to make the switch to vaping, according to a press release.
Credit: VPZ
“The device is an easy-to-use new to vaping product which offers smokers the freedom to choose a range of flavors and e-liquid strength,” the release states. “The AEQ is already outselling other packages in the new to vaping category and has been introduced as VPZ launches its first ever Vape Clinic.”
Doug Mutter, director of VPZ, said VPZ is spearheading the fight against the U.K.’s No. 1 killer: smoking. “The Pandemic has triggered an increase in smoking rates and the public health problem has been compounded by funding cuts for NHS stop smoking services and local support groups,” he said. “The launch of our new AEQ device has been developed by us in response to helping smokers take the first steps in their stop-smoking journey. The development of this dedicated new to vaping product, as well as the launch of our pilot Vape Clinic truly underlines our commitment to helping the UK achieve its ambitions to be a tobacco-free nation by 2030.”
VPZ is the UK’s largest vaping retailer with over 150 stores. A new report from Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group backs vaping as an effective treatment for tobacco dependency and recommends that it should be included and encouraged in all treatment pathways. The report also found that the long-term impact of vaping is 95 per cent less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
July 28, 2021
VPZ Opens First Vape Clinic to Help Smokers Quit
U.K.-based vaping retailer VPZ launched its pilot Vape Clinic on July 5 at its flagship Newbridge store. The company now plans to roll out the service across all its locations in the coming months. According to a press release, the vape clinic was begun to meet the growing demand for smoking cessation services.
Credit: VPZ
The moves comes as access to local stop smoking services and vaping retailers massively reduced during Covid-19 lockdowns, according to the release, adding that thousands of smokers were left without any services to help them quit smoking combustible cigarettes. Vape Clinic quit coaches will be specialists in helping smokers quit and advising the alternatives available. VPZ recently announced it had opened five stores since the end of lockdowns.
“With around 78,000 people in the U.K. dying from smoking year on year, and with many more living with debilitating smoking-related illnesses, the vape clinic has been designed to support the nation’s smokers quit for good,” the release states. “VPZ’s confidence in the success of the new Vape Clinic service is backed by its customer promise to provide a money back guarantee for hardware purchased and any unopened boxes of e-liquids and coils if customers are unable to make the switch to vaping entirely.”
Doug Mutter, director of VPZ, said the company is spearheading the fight against the nation’s No. 1 killer: smoking. He says that the “coaches” are trained and have expert knowledge and work to the individual needs of the customer. Many of the specialists are former smokers who have quit through vaping, so they understand the ups and downs of the journey.
“Smoking statistics are continuing to rise as the pandemic has triggered an increase in smoking rates and the public health problem has been compounded by funding cuts for National Health Service (NHS) stop smoking services and local support groups,” Mutter stated in the release. “Our new Vape Clinic concept is an investment to fill the void left by the loss of local NHS stop smoking services. We are so confident in the success of our new service that we are offering our customers a money back guarantee if they are unable to make the switch entirely.”
VPZ Vape Clinic is open 7 days a week, 10am to 5pm to all customers who book a free, 30-minute appointment here.
July 7, 2021
VPZ Opens 5 New U.K. Stores Since End of Lockdown
One of the largest vaping retailers in the U.K., VPZ, has announced that it has opened five new stores since the end of lockdown restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The new stores are located in Helensburgh, Port Glasgow, Castlemilk, Glenrothes and Farnborough, bringing its total footprint to 159 stores and creating 15 new jobs.
Doug Mutter/Photo: VPZ
Since lockdowns ended in April, the company has seen a 165 percent increase in first-time vapers kit sales. The demand has been driven from smokers having no access to National Health Service (NHS) stop smoking services and vaping retailers being closed due to not being classed as essential during lockdown, according to a press release.
Doug Mutter, director of VPZ said, the company is spearheading the fight against the nation’s No. 1 killer: smoking.
“The Pandemic has triggered an increase in smoking rates and the public health problem has been compounded by funding cuts for NHS stop smoking services and local support groups,” said Mutter. “This latest investment in our offering and expansion of our store footprint underlines our commitment to playing our part in regaining this lost momentum and helping the UK achieve its ambitions to be a tobacco-free nation by 2030.”
June 30, 2021
VPZ Announces Record Sales, Quit Clinics Launch
A major vaping retailer in the UK is launching a new vape clinic service with a goal of helping to increase numbers of smokers quit. The move comes as VPZ vape shops announced a 165 percent increase in “New to Vaping” kit sales in the first week of re-opening following the relaxation of Lockdown measures.
Credit: VPZ
The uptake and demand for stop smoking services underlines and re-affirms VPZ’s recent calls for vaping stores to be classed as an essential retailer during the Pandemic, according to VPZ director Doug Mutter. “We are investing to help smokers quit and to support the country in its ambition to be a tobacco free nation by 2030.”
Following over a year of having no NHS stop smoking services available, the company has been inundated with smokers looking to quit since reopening its full estate of stores on 26 April, according to Mutter. The retailer has seen a huge demand for New to Vaping (NTV) kits since it reopened its 150+ UK stores, with an unprecedented demand for NTV kits in the first week.
“With access to local stop smoking services and vaping retailers massively reduced during lockdown, thousands of smokers have been left without any services to help them quit,” a press release states. “Since re-opening its stores to bring customers a Covid-secure retail experience, VPZ has faced record demand from smokers looking for expert advice and personalized support to help them make the switch.”
The quit clinic investment and recruitment drive are part of VPZ’s commitment to play its part in helping the UK achieve its ambitions to be a tobacco-free nation by 2030, set out by the Government in 2017. “VPZ is the UK’s leading vaping specialist and we are spearheading the fight against the nation’s number one killer – smoking,” said Mutter. “We are excited to be launching the Vape Clinic concept following strong demand and recognizing the need for an enhanced level of service since reopening our doors. The huge reduction in NHS stop-smoking services, through COVID-19 and local authority cuts have been devastating in the country’s efforts to reduce smoking rates.”
May 17, 2021