Company admits 'inadvertently' breaking the law after it emerges vapes exceed ... trends now
The company behind Britain's best-selling vape – used illegally by tens of thousands of children – last night admitted 'inadvertently' breaking the law after a Mail investigation found its products far exceed maximum nicotine levels.
Chinese vaping giant Elf Bar 'wholeheartedly apologised' after independent lab tests by the Mail found its '600' line of e-cigarettes were at least 50 per cent over the legal limit for nicotine e-liquid.
Experts described the findings as 'deeply disturbing' and warned of a risk to young people illegally using the vapes, which are sold by major supermarkets.
After the Mail shared the results of the investigation, Tesco removed some Elf Bar 600s from its stores and Morrisons also launched a probe into the product.
The brand, which only launched in 2021, sells 2.5million Elf Bars 600s in the UK every week, accounting for two in three of all disposable vapes. The devices cost £5.99 each.
Chinese vaping giant Elf Bar 'wholeheartedly apologised' after independent lab tests by the Mail found its '600' line of e-cigarettes were at least 50 per cent over the legal limit for nicotine e-liquid (pictured: Daily Mail reporter Claire Duffin purchased vape bars at Tesco's in Derbyshire)
Experts described the findings as 'deeply disturbing' and warned of a risk to young people illegally using the vapes, which are sold by major supermarkets
With bright packaging and sweet flavours including cola and cotton candy ice, the devices have become popular with children.
More than half of the 11 to 17-year-olds who admitted trying vaping said they used an Elf Bar, around 100,000 young people, anti-smoking group Ash found last year.
The amount of nicotine liquid in a vape is legally limited in the UK to 2ml, of which the maximum nicotine strength should be 2 per cent.
Trading Standards warned this strict 2ml limit must not be exceeded without exception.
The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 says the limit was brought in to create 'an environment that protects children from starting to use these products'.
But tests commissioned by the Mail on three flavours of the China-made Elf Bar 600s, bought at Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons branches in London, Derby and Sheffield, found they contained between 3ml and 3.2ml of nicotine levels.
Two other major vape brands tested at the same time were found to have legal levels.
Andrew Bush, professor of paediatrics at Imperial College London, said
