Highbury vape shop facing closure: tobacco tax sees illegal market grow. 

A vape shop on Blackstock Road faces closure in coming weeks despite first opening one month ago. Gunners Cloud report that tax hikes introduced on 1st October have made business unsustainable and pushed customers towards cheaper, illegally imported alternatives. 

In addition to the usual price increases introduced in line with inflation, the October tax imposed a £2.20 duty per 10ml of vape liquid, 50g tobacco or 100 cigarettes. Gunners Cloud vape shop have said that they are struggling to sell products at this higher price and can no longer afford their business costs. 

Fedral, 31, who runs the shop and didn’t want to give his surname, said: “See these bottles [of vape liquid], they’re even 0% nicotine. I’m selling them for £7.99 and they will cost me £35 to buy again from the manufacturer.”

Generally, experts agree that tobacco price inflation is one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking rates. However, Gunners Cloud and other corner shops in Highbury report that many of their customers simply turn to the illegal market instead. 

Yucel Yavuz, 46, who runs a corner shop nearby, said: “A lot of people are seeking alternatives. Like the black market — it’s thriving at the minute because of the price of tobacco.”

Since 2023 the number of smokers purchasing from illicit sources in the UK has nearly doubled. 

“People keep coming in and asking if I have the cheap stuff,” said Fedral. “I thought about [selling] it but even then, I wouldn’t be able to get rid of all this stock I have now.”

Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy and information, has said that: “sustained investment to tackle illegal tobacco sales alongside support that helps people stop smoking,” is key to bringing down smoking rates.