Vape specialist VPZ has opened its first new store in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, since the UK went into lockdown.

The company’s director Doug Mutter said VPZ is experiencing the ‘biggest change in the retail economy in living memory’, and has had to adapt what it can offer.

“We understand that not all of our customers are able to travel to our stores. The high street is having to adapt to much smaller footfall.

“That is why we have opened this new store within a more residential area to ensure we can still serve our customers, without requiring them to take excessive travel.

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“We believe this maybe a longer-term change to the marketplace, and we are investing and committing to serving local communities as best we can,” he added.

Despite the retail sector facing huge challenges, the company has reported seeing more smokers making the switch, with record numbers of quit attempts in 2020.

Public Health England estimates that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes.

Latest figures released in a recent report from Action on Smoking and Health show that as vaping increases and smoking declines, there are now around half as many vapers as smokers, with approximately 3.6 million people vaping in the UK compared to 7.2 million smokers in the UK in 2018.

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Mutter added: “Vaping represents a huge public health opportunity and the market will continue to grow as increasing numbers of smokers recognise its effectiveness in helping people to quit smoking.

“Consumer education is crucial too and our knowledgeable staff are always available with advice and support that helps make it easy for smokers to make the switch and give up cigarettes once and for all.”

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