Gaps of popular disposable vaping lines in supermarkets amid widespread withdrawals has pushed more customers to independent retailers.

Staff at branches of Morrisons, One Stop, Tesco and Asda stores contacted by Better Retailing this month confirmed the supermarkets had withdrawn certain Elfbar and SKE Crystal batches in recent weeks, due to them being over the legal 2ml e-liquid limit.

While stock of some of these brands has started to make a return, the withdrawals have benefited independent retailers, who reported increased sales of disposable vapes during the same period.

Nishi Patel, of Londis Bexley Park in Dartford, told Better Retailing: “Our disposable vaping sales rose by £1,000 compared to the previous week.