27 Percent of Adult Vapers Now Use a Lower Nicotine Strength

The ASH Smokefree GB 2026 adult survey asked current adult vapers how their nicotine strength compares with when they first started. 61 percent use the same strength, 27 percent have reduced it and only 6 percent have increased it. For every adult vaper who has moved up, more than four have moved down.

This matters because range planning in the category has typically been built around 20mg, the legal maximum. The ASH data shows that a significant share of adult demand now sits below that level, and that strength preference changes over the life of the customer rather than being set at the first purchase.

Former Smokers Are Driving the Shift

The movement is concentrated among former smokers. 34 percent of former smokers who vape now use a lower strength than when they started, compared with 16 percent of dual users, who continue to smoke alongside vaping.

Former smokers are also the category's most valuable customer group. ASH estimates that 3.3 million of the 5.5 million adult vapers in Great Britain are former smokers. Almost nine in ten of them vape daily, and nearly six in ten have vaped for more than three years. The move to lower strengths is therefore taking place within the highest-frequency, most loyal segment of demand, not at its margins.

Why Adult Vapers Are Choosing Lower Strengths

Market trends point to two clear drivers behind the shift. The first is the switching journey. Adults moving from cigarettes tend to start at higher strengths and adjust once vaping is fully established. The data supports this: former smokers are more than twice as likely as dual users to have reduced their strength. The second is tenure. The core customer base has been in the category for years, and preferences mature over that time. Flavour shows the same pattern: in 2016 tobacco was the most popular main flavour, while in 2026 fruit is the main choice for six in ten adult vapers. Strength preference is evolving in the same way.

How Flavour Choice Varies Across Nicotine Strengths

Flavour ranges are typically widest at 20mg, with a focused selection at lower strengths. Hayati Pro Max+, which is offered at four nicotine strengths, is a useful reference point.

Nicotine Strength	Flavours Available	Suited to
20mg	85	Adult vapers who prefer a higher nicotine strength, including those who still smoke alongside vaping.
10mg	30	Adult vapers moving down from 20mg who want a moderate nicotine level.
5mg	30	Adult vapers who prefer a lighter nicotine level.
0mg	25	Adult vapers who prefer a nicotine-free option in the same device.

Source: manufacturer flavour counts published by Hayati. Flavours stocked by individual distributors may vary.

When building a lower-strength range, the ASH flavour data is a practical guide. Fruit is the main choice for six in ten adult vapers, and more than four in ten use ice flavours at least some of the time. Prioritising these profiles at 10mg, 5mg and 0mg ensures the lower-strength offer reflects what adult vapers already buy.

Four Ranging Priorities for Retailers, Wholesalers and Buyers

1. Plan the range by strength, not only by brand and flavour. Define core lines at 20mg, 10mg, 5mg and 0mg, and allocate facings by strength rather than defaulting to 20mg across the fixture.
2. Protect best-selling flavours at every strength. Where a core flavour is available at lower strengths, range it. Flavour continuity is what keeps a customer who reduces their strength within the same brand.
3. Merchandise by strength. From 29 October 2026, free samples and promotional giveaways of vaping products are prohibited. With product trial no longer an option, the fixture must show clearly which strengths are available in each line.
4. Set stock depth using strength-level sales data. Track rate of sale by strength through EPOS. For wholesalers and symbol groups, strength mix across the account base should inform buying depth and distribution targets.

Strength Is Now a Ranging Decision

The ASH data describes a category in which the core customer, the long-term former smoker, is steadily moving to lower nicotine strengths. Ranges built only around 20mg will serve a narrowing share of that demand. The trade partners best placed to retain these customers will be those who range across strengths, protect flavour continuity and manage the fixture on strength-level data.

VB Distribution lists Hayati Pro Max+ kits and replacement pods at 20mg, 10mg, 5mg and 0mg, giving retailers a single device platform across all four strengths.