TPD Compliance Explained: What Vapers and Retailers Need to Know

TPD compliance plays an important role in the vaping world, especially for both vapers and retailers. It sets limits on factors such as nicotine strength (no more than 20mg/mL), e-liquid bottle size (maximum 10mL), and tank capacity (up to 2mL). Vape products must also come in tamper-proof, child-resistant packaging and be submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before being sold. Health warnings and proper leaflets are also part of the requirements.

What Is the TPD (Tobacco Products Directive)?

The Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is a European Union law aimed at protecting public health and ensuring product safety across EU countries. Enforced since May 2016, it covers the manufacturing, packaging, and sale of tobacco-related items like e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and other nicotine products. The directive sets clear limits, such as a maximum nicotine strength of 20 mg/mL, a 2 mL cap on tank capacity, and 10 mL for refill bottles. It also requires packaging to be child-resistant and tamper-proof, along with clear health warnings and a ban on certain harmful ingredients.

Manufacturers and importers must notify authorities before selling their products, helping regulators track compliance. Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, it still upholds most of the TPD rules through its regulations. These rules apply to anyone involved in the supply chain, from producers to retailers, ensuring a consistent and safer market for tobacco and vaping products.

Why Was the TPD Introduced?

The Tobacco Products Directive was created to protect public health and bring stronger regulations to the growing vaping industry. It ensures that all vaping products, like e-cigarettes and e-liquids, meet strict safety and quality standards. This helps lower health risks for users while also making sure that products are sold responsibly.

A key part of the directive is preventing underage access by setting age restrictions and requiring child-resistant packaging. It also promotes transparency through clear labels, health warnings, and a ban on harmful ingredients. Overall, the TPD works to make products safer, more reliable, and easier for people to understand before use.

What Does TPD Compliance Mean for Vaping?

TPD compliance is key to how vaping products are made, sold, and used. It limits tank sizes to 2ml and nicotine strength to 20mg/mL, with e-liquids sold only in 10ml bottles. All devices and liquids must come in child-resistant, tamper-evident packaging, and ingredients like caffeine, taurine, and artificial colouring are banned to reduce health risks.

Before any product hits the market, manufacturers must get approval from health authorities like the MHRA by submitting detailed reports on ingredients and emissions. Labels must clearly show health warnings, nicotine content, and manufacturer details. While compliance requires effort from brands and retailers, it helps build trust. For consumers, it means better safety, transparency, and peace of mind when choosing vaping products.

TPD-Compliant Vape Devices and E-Liquids

Vape products that meet TPD standards follow clear rules to ensure user safety and product quality. Devices must have a maximum tank size of 2ml, with packaging designed to be both child-resistant and tamper-evident. For e-liquids, the nicotine content is capped at 20mg/mL, and bottles cannot be larger than 10ml. Ingredients that may pose health risks, like caffeine, taurine, or artificial colouring, are not allowed under these regulations.

Each product must include clear health warnings covering at least 30% of the label, along with a leaflet that explains how to use it safely and provides details about the ingredients and manufacturer. These measures are in place to protect users, reduce misuse, and make sure that vaping products are marketed and sold in a responsible, transparent way.

What Happens If a Product is Not TDP Compliant?

If a vape product doesn’t meet TPD standards, it cannot be legally sold in the UK or EU. Regulatory bodies like the MHRA can remove non-compliant products from the market, often leading to recalls from both physical shops and online platforms. This not only disrupts business but also comes with the risk of financial penalties, which vary based on the seriousness of the violation. In more severe or repeated cases, companies may face product bans or legal action.

Non-compliance can also harm a brand’s reputation. Customers expect vape products to be safe and properly regulated. If a company is found ignoring the rules, it can lose consumer trust and face long-term damage to its image. So, failing to follow TPD guidelines doesn’t just carry legal and financial risks; it can also affect a company’s credibility and future in the market.

Key TPD Regulations Retailers and Manufacturers Must Follow

To legally sell vaping products in the UK and the EU, both manufacturers and retailers must comply with a set of rules outlined in the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). These rules are designed to make sure products are safe, clearly labelled, and responsibly marketed. Below are the key regulations every vape business must meet:

1. Nicotine Limit (20mg/ml)
E-liquids can't contain more than 20mg of nicotine per ml, helping reduce the risk of addiction or side effects. Higher strengths are only allowed in medical products.

2. Tank & Bottle Size (2ml / 10ml)-Vape tanks and pods are limited to 2ml, and nicotine e-liquids must be sold in bottles no larger than 10ml, helping control nicotine use.

3. Child-Resistant & Tamper-Proof Packaging- All products must be sealed and secure to prevent child access and ensure they haven’t been tampered with.

4. MHRA Product Notification- New products must be submitted to the MHRA with full ingredient and safety details before they can be sold.

5. Health Warnings & Leaflets- Packaging must carry nicotine warnings covering at least 30% of the label and include a leaflet with usage and safety info.

Together, these regulations help build trust in the vape market by ensuring products are safe, properly labelled, and sold responsibly. Retailers and manufacturers who follow them not only stay within the law but also offer a safer experience to their customers.

Timeline: When Did the TPD Come Into Effect?

The EU passed the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) in May 2014 to improve public health and regulate tobacco and vaping products. It became legally enforceable in the UK on 20 May 2016, with a one-year grace period for businesses to sell off non-compliant stock. From 19 May 2017, only products meeting TPD rules, such as limits on nicotine strength, tank size, and proper labelling, could be legally sold.

After leaving the EU in 2020, the UK chose to keep these regulations by adopting them under its own Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016. The MHRA continues to oversee compliance, ensuring that vaping products meet safety and quality standards. Despite Brexit, the TPD framework remains central to how vaping is regulated in the UK, offering consistency for both businesses and consumers.

How TPD Compliance Applies to Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches are becoming more popular as a smoke-free alternative to vaping or smoking. However, their regulation is slightly different from that of vape products. While nicotine pouches contain nicotine, they do not contain tobacco, which complicates their legal classification.

Are Nicotine Pouches Regulated Under TPD?

No, nicotine pouches are not currently directly regulated under the TPD, as the directive primarily focuses on products that contain tobacco or nicotine used in e-liquids. Since pouches are tobacco-free and not inhaled, they fall outside the original scope of the TPD. However, some countries in the EU and the UK are beginning to develop separate rules for these products. In the UK, they are monitored under general consumer safety laws, and the government is actively reviewing how they should be regulated more clearly going forward.

Packaging and Labelling Requirements

Although not covered by TPD, nicotine pouches are still expected to meet basic safety and packaging standards. This includes child-resistant packaging, clear nicotine content labelling, and health warnings where applicable. Products must not be marketed in a way that appeals to minors, and many retailers voluntarily follow guidelines similar to TPD to promote responsible sales.

As regulations evolve, nicotine pouches are likely to face stricter oversight through updated laws or an extension of existing tobacco-related directives. Until then, sellers and users should stay informed and follow best practices to ensure safety and compliance.

TPD Compliance in the UK Post-Brexit

Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, it still follows the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), which reflect the core rules of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). These include limits on nicotine strength (20mg/mL), bottle size (10ml), and tank capacity (2ml), along with bans on certain ingredients and requirements for child-resistant packaging, clear health warnings, and MHRA product notifications.

Since Brexit, the UK has gained the flexibility to revise its vaping laws. While most rules remain unchanged, the government has introduced measures like the ban on disposable vapes starting June 1, 2025. Separate notification processes now exist for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and businesses must also follow strict marketing and age restriction guidelines. Though still aligned with the TPD, the UK may adjust its approach in the future, so staying informed is essential.

Why TPD Compliance Matters for Consumers

For consumers, TPD compliance offers more than just regulation; it ensures safety, transparency, and informed decision-making. Products must meet strict rules on nicotine strength, bottle and tank sizes, banned ingredients, and packaging. Health warnings are displayed, and harmful additives or flavours that may appeal to minors, such as menthol, are restricted. This gives users a better understanding of what they are inhaling and helps reduce accidental harm, especially in homes with children.

Compliance also means each product has been checked and approved before reaching the market, reducing the risk of counterfeit or unsafe items. With these standards in place, consumers can trust that TPD-compliant vape products are not only legal but also held to high safety and quality levels, offering more peace of mind, particularly for those using vaping as a harm-reduction tool.

How do I know if a vape product is TPD compliant?

You can usually tell a product is TPD compliant by checking a few key features. Look for nicotine strength (no more than 20mg/ml) and bottle size (maximum 10ml for nicotine-containing e-liquids). The packaging should be both child-resistant and tamper-evident, featuring clear health warnings and an accompanying information leaflet. Most importantly, the product must be listed on the MHRA register. Reputable retailers often clearly display this compliance.

Can I still buy larger bottles of e-liquid?

Yes, but only if they do not contain nicotine. These are called shortfills. They are usually sold in bottles larger than 10ml and designed to leave space for adding a nicotine shot. Once mixed, they allow users to customise nicotine strength while still staying within legal limits.

Are Shortfills TPD Compliant?

Shortfill e-liquids are TPD-compliant because they are sold without nicotine, placing them outside the TPD’s 10ml bottle limit, which applies only to nicotine-containing liquids. These larger bottles, often 50ml or 100ml, leave space for a separate 10ml nicotine shot that is regulated under TPD rules. Once mixed, the final e-liquid stays within the legal nicotine strength of 20mg/mL or less. This setup allows vapers to enjoy larger volumes of e-liquid, especially for sub-ohm use, while still staying within TPD guidelines.

Does TPD apply to zero-nicotine products?

No, zero-nicotine vape products are not covered by TPD because the directive only applies to products that contain nicotine. That said, some countries and brands still apply similar safety and packaging standards voluntarily to ensure product quality and consumer trust.

A Checklist for TPD Compliance

Whether you are a retailer or a vaper, this quick checklist can help you confirm if a product meets TPD (or TRPR in the UK) standards. The table below provides a quick reference to help identify whether a vaping product meets TPD/TRPR compliance standards:

This table helps both consumers and retailers quickly identify whether a product complies with all necessary standards under the TPD or TRPR.