Banned puffs: 10,000 products withdrawn after DGCCRF inspections

More than a year and a half after the ban on disposable electronic cigarettes in France, puffs have not disappeared entirely from distribution channels. A large inspection campaign by the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) has led to the withdrawal of close to 10,000 products still offered for sale.

The results nevertheless show a mixed picture: while a large majority of the professionals inspected now comply with the rules, several dozen shops were still selling banned devices.

491 establishments inspected by the DGCCRF

To check how the ban that came into force in February 2025 was being applied, DGCCRF officers inspected 491 establishments. The investigations covered distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers and importers of vaping products, among others.

According to the results released by the authorities, 86% of the establishments visited were in compliance with the rules. Specialist vaping networks and tobacconists are reported to have adapted quickly to the new rules.

This high rate of compliance shows that the ban is now widely applied in traditional channels. It has not, however, made puffs disappear entirely from points of sale.

70 shops were still offering puffs

In 70 of the establishments inspected, close to 15% of the total, investigators found that disposable electronic cigarettes were still available.

The situations observed were not all the same. Some professionals appeared not to know the exact scope of the law. They thought, in particular, that the ban applied only to puffs containing nicotine.

The French rules do not rest on that criterion. The ban covers electronic vaping devices pre-filled with liquid that cannot be refilled, whether or not they contain nicotine and whether or not their battery can be recharged.

Other situations were more problematic: some products were not on display in the shops, but remained available to customers who asked for them.

Close to 10,000 puffs withdrawn from the sales channels

In all, the inspections identified close to 10,000 disposable electronic cigarettes still in circulation.

Most of these products were withdrawn from sale voluntarily by the professionals concerned. DGCCRF officers also seized more than 1,000 puffs.

The scale of these withdrawals shows that a sizeable stock of disposable devices was still available despite the national ban.

That figure should nevertheless be set against the compliance rate observed: more than eight establishments in ten were following the new rules at the time of the inspections.

Injunctions, warnings and criminal proceedings

The offences recorded did not lead only to products being withdrawn. Administrative and judicial measures were also taken.

Close to fifty establishments faced penalties or other measures following the breaches observed. Around forty injunctions to comply were issued, in particular, in order to stop the sale of the banned products.

The authorities also issued 18 warnings in situations where a lack of knowledge of the rules appeared to be established and where the volumes sold were limited.

Finally, seven criminal proceedings are under way, notably in cases where the sale of the products is alleged to have been deliberately concealed.

What exactly does the puff ban cover?

Since 26 February 2025, French legislation has prohibited holding for sale, offering for sale, selling, distributing and giving away free of charge certain single-use electronic vaping devices.

These are mainly pre-filled electronic cigarettes that cannot be filled again after use. A rechargeable battery is therefore not enough to make the product legal if the tank holding the liquid cannot itself be refilled.

Cartridges intended for refillable vaping systems are not, by contrast, covered by this general ban.

The distinction matters, because the vaping market today includes many formats that can look alike without falling under the same rules.

Why did France ban disposable electronic cigarettes?

The ban on puffs is a response, above all, to two concerns: their appeal to young people and their environmental impact.

Disposable electronic cigarettes spread quickly, with compact formats, bright colours and many fruity or sweet flavours. A large share of these products also contains nicotine, an addictive substance whose use by minors is a particular concern for the health authorities.

The disposable character of these devices also raises an environmental problem. A puff generally combines plastic, electronic components and a lithium battery in a product meant to be discarded after a relatively short period of use.

It is this combination of electronic waste and single-use consumption, in particular, that helped to justify banning them.

Refillable electronic cigarettes remain authorised

The ban on puffs does not mean that the electronic cigarette is banned in France.

Refillable devices and vaping products that meet the regulatory requirements can still be sold. They must, in particular, meet various obligations on their composition, their presentation, their safety and, when they contain nicotine, the applicable regulatory limits.

The sale of vaping products to minors also remains prohibited, whether or not they contain nicotine.

Inspections are expected to continue

This first set of results shows that the ban on puffs is now widely taken up by professionals, without being fully observed.

The main task for the authorities will now be to watch the channels that still allow these products to reach consumers. Concealed sales and online trade are expected to remain particular points to watch.

The DGCCRF is therefore continuing its inspections in 2026, in order to check compliance with the ban and, more broadly, with the various rules governing the market in vaping products.

For consumers and professionals alike, the rule is therefore this: puffs, meaning pre-filled devices that cannot be refilled, can no longer be sold in France. Some 10,000 products found during the inspections nevertheless show that the complete disappearance of these disposable electronic cigarettes from sales channels will still require vigilance.