The vaping industry moves rapidly. It’s constantly evolving to meet the tastes and demands of committed vapers, and to adapt to the legal and regulatory stance of global governments and health bodies. In this blog, we’ll outline our predictions for what 2022 holds in store for vaping.
Our annual prediction for the ever changing vaping market is compiled from the shifts and changes we saw within our own sales’ data during 2021, and the roadmaps that we get to see from all the big vaping manufacturers and suppliers.
2021 was a difficult year for the vape industry in many countries, as increased restrictions were imposed on flavours and licences. Luckily for the UK, our continued governmental stance on harm reduction being at the forefront of vaping regulation adoption meant our market continued to grow, with more and more smokers making the switch to vaping every day.
One of the key drivers for the rapid increase in vaping numbers is covered by our number 1 vaping trend prediction for 2022…
The rise and rise of disposable vape bars
The vaping industry is renowned for innovating at an unprecedented rate, and the most recent innovation to see a meteoric rise in popularity is disposable vape kits.
The disposable vape bars we sell today are so far removed from the cig-alikes of 10 years ago, that it’s almost wrong to call them by the same name. The over-the-counter petrol stations/off-licence versions had fake tobacco and menthol flavourings, and were off-putting and unsatisfactory. With those as the only go-between for traditional cigarettes and true e-cigarettes, it’s no surprise that many people believed that vaping could never offer them a viable alternative to smoking.
Fast forward to 2022, and the ‘puff bars’ we sell now are superb. They deliver the correct amount of nicotine required to satisfy those early intense cravings that people quitting smoking experience. They’re designed to match the equivalent puffs of a pack of 20 cigarettes before they run out; and when they do run out, you simply dispose of the device and replace it with a new one.
Plus, they’re so simple to use that we’re now seeing experienced vapers stocking up on disposables. Either as a reliable back up to their regular vape kit, or for when they’re out and about and need something lighter and more discreet.
With the disposable vape market growing every day, there’s plenty of new versions coming in store all the time. If you want to see the current range, you should check out the disposable vapes area of our site.
Sustainability in vaping
We’ve all got a responsibility to reduce our single use plastic, which is one of the biggest contributors to the climate crisis.
However, as we’ve already discussed, disposable vape bar availability and usage is on the rise, not the decline. Disposables might be handy, but they’re not great for the environment.
To tackle this issue, we predict a rise in the number of sustainable disposables to market. Riot Squad kicked off this trend at the end of 2021 with their release of Qbar, which was the first carbon negative and fully recyclable disposable vape device. We expect to see a lot more disposable manufacturers following suit through 2022.
You can read more about the pros and cons of disposable vape kits in our recent article.
Corn starch vape packaging
On the subject of sustainability in vaping, we’re also hearing whispers from our suppliers about the exploration of using corn starch in the manufacture of vape packaging.
E-liquid bottles contribute to a hell of a lot of vape waste, so it makes sense to try and find an alternative to the virgin plastics used to make the bottles and their lids.
These are just initial rumblings at the moment, so it might be optimistic to expect to see this innovation becoming widespread in 2022, but we’ve got it on our radar.
Alternatives to the usual e-liquid sweeteners
For many years now, fruit and candy e-liquid flavours have outsold their tobacco flavoured counterparts. In order to achieve the sweet flavour that we vapers adore, the most commonly used sweetener has always been sucralose.
This artificial sweetener (better known under the brand name Splenda) provides intense sweetness in small quantities, which has led to its popularity for making vape juice. It was preferred to other artificial sweeteners as it doesn't leave a bitter aftertaste. However, it does come with some drawbacks.
As sucralose is derived by altering actual sugar molecules, it can cause coils to burn out faster due to the build up of burnt sweetener - not dissimilar to caramel.
As vaping innovation continues, we’re starting to see a rise in the number of alternative sweeteners being used in the creation of vape juice. One of the biggest new trends is the use of Stevia instead of Splenda.
Stevia in vape juice
Stevia is a relatively new artificial sweetener that is naturally derived, and completely calorie-free. It is made by harvesting the leaves of the stevia plant, which are then dried, steeped in hot water, processed, and sold in powder or liquid form.
Though not quite as intense as sucralose, it still provides a good level of sweetness. Plus it’s much kinder on coils, which means you’ll get more longevity from each coil change.
A rise in vaping advocacy
For many years the vaping industry has been the subject of myths, junk science, outright lies, and moral panic. We don't believe that e-cigarettes are 100% safe - that’s why no credible body has ever claimed that they are. The ongoing position of Public Health England is that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes. This is a position that they have maintained throughout the onslaught of spurious research. It is also a position that is supported by myriad ethical and authoritative bodies that all have harm reduction as their primary goal.
The latest news is that the MHRA will make it easier for vaping manufacturers to apply for medicinal licences for their products. Although we don’t foresee licensed products hitting the shelves anytime soon, the positive effect will come from the news itself.
That’s because it will make healthcare professionals more comfortable with the idea of recommending vaping as a viable alternative to smoking. Even if they aren’t pro-vaping per se, the accumulation of evidence from bodies such as MRHA will make it difficult for them to maintain an anti-vaping stance.
This shift in attitude is bound to filter through into the media, and put a stop to the anti-vaping rhetoric that has put many people off making the switch. Fingers crossed!
2022 vaping trends takeaway
Predicting the future of an industry as innovative as the vaping market is a tricky one. Just as you expect it to zig one way, it zags the other way. That said, it’s constantly fascinating and surprising to see just how many positive strides we continue to make. Harm reduction is key for 2022 - both personal and environmental; so it’s encouraging to see the trends pointing to developments in both of these areas.
We're here to help you quit smoking for good
At Vape UK, we pride ourselves on being responsible vaping advocates. We keep up to date with all of the latest news and studies; we supply high quality TPD compliant vaping products; and we are always on hand to offer helpful and honest advice about vaping. Please get in touch if you have any questions about vaping for our team.
About the author - Nicola Webster
Nicola Webster works as a researcher, consultant, and content creator for Vape UK. She holds a CIM Level 6 Diploma in Professional Marketing and has developed her skills and knowledge of analytics and research over a 12 year career in product marketing. Her research led approach to campaigns and content writing ensures the articles she writes for Vape UK always have a basis in fact and cut through the noise. A strong advocate for tobacco harm reduction, Nicola is an ex-smoker thanks to vaping and wants others to understand the benefits of vaping compared to smoking. 
