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The Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is a set of regulations that govern the sale, manufacture, and advertising of tobacco products in the European Union. The TPD was adopted in 2014 and came into effect in 2016.

The TPD applies to all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. This means that all e-cigarettes and e-liquids sold in the UK must comply with the TPD.

The TPD includes a number of requirements for e-cigarettes and e-liquids, including:

Nicotine strength: The maximum nicotine strength of e-liquids sold in the UK is 20mg/ml.

Packaging: E-cigarettes and e-liquids must be sold in child-resistant packaging.

Advertising: The advertising of e-cigarettes and e-liquids is restricted. For example, e-cigarettes and e-liquids cannot be advertised to children or young people.

If you are a manufacturer, retailer, or advertiser of e-cigarettes or e-liquids in the UK, it is important to ensure that your products and marketing materials comply with the TPD. If you are unsure about whether your products or marketing materials comply with the TPD, you should seek legal advice.

The benefits of TPD compliance

There are a number of benefits to complying with the TPD, including:

• Reduced risk to consumers: The TPD requirements are designed to reduce the risk to consumers from e-cigarettes and e-liquids. For example, the requirement for child-resistant packaging helps to prevent children from accessing e-cigarettes and e-liquids.
• Increased consumer confidence: Compliance with the TPD can help to increase consumer confidence in e-cigarettes and e-liquids. This is because the TPD requirements are designed to ensure that e-cigarettes and e-liquids are safe and of high quality.
• Reduced risk of regulatory action: If you are not compliant with the TPD, you may be at risk of regulatory action from the UK government. This could include fines, product seizures, or even criminal prosecution.

How to ensure TPD compliance

There are a number of things you can do to ensure that your products and marketing materials comply with the TPD, including:

• Read the TPD regulations: The TPD regulations are available on the website of the European Commission.
• Seek legal advice: If you are unsure about whether your products or marketing materials comply with the TPD, you should seek legal advice.
• Use a TPD-compliant supplier: If you are a retailer of e-cigarettes or e-liquids, you should use a supplier who can guarantee that their products are TPD-compliant.
• Keep up to date with changes to the TPD: The TPD is a living document and is subject to change. You should keep up to date with changes to the TPD to ensure that your products and marketing materials remain compliant.