A study led by researchers from University College London and King’s College London suggests plain packaging for vape products could lower their appeal to children. The research tested four pack formats with 2,770 participants aged 11 to 18 and nearly 4,000 adults. Children were asked whether they believed their peers would be interested in trying vapes, while adults were asked whether they would be interested themselves. Pack formats included usual branded packs; a plain white pack with the usual product description in black, such as “blu razz”; a plain pack with limited flavour descriptors, such as “blue raspberry”; and a standardised pack showing the flavour as a code, for example “FR248”.

Among the children and young people, 53% said peers would be interested in trying vapes in the usual packaging. This fell to 38% when shown standardised packs with the usual flavour descriptions. Among adults, interest remained similar whether packs were standardised in white or branded. The study also found that standardised packaging did not change how harmful vapes were perceived to be compared with cigarettes.

Lead author Dr Eve Taylor, based at UCL’s Department of Behavioural Science and Health, said the findings show that standardised packaging and limited flavour descriptors can reduce youth appeal while having little effect on adults’ interest or harm perceptions. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, noted that the results illustrate how policymakers could regulate vapes to protect children without undermining their use as a quitting aid for smokers. The paper, published in Lancet Regional Health Europe, says packaging is a primary marketing tool for vape companies and that a policy to standardise packaging could reduce interest among youth and non-smokers without deterring regular smokers.