Elf Bar Vape Ads Banned for ‘Green’ Claims

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You won’t see Elf Bar vape ads around anymore after they got the boot for saying they’re all about recycling for a greener future. Turns out, that line was a bit misleading because these vapes are causing a ton of environmental trouble when tossed away.

Environmental Concerns

A study found that in 2022, a whopping 260 million disposable vapes ended up in the UK trash. That’s a huge reason why there’s been such a surge in plastic pollution lately. And guess what? Those ads made it seem like recycling these vapes was a piece of cake and could be done at home. But nope, that’s not how it works. Usually, you’ve gotta take vaping stuff to special spots like waste centers run by the council.

Ad Trouble and Complaints

These ads popped up on buses and digital billboards in London with flashy images of the Elf Bar 600 V2 vape, shouting out “recycling for a greener future” and “green awareness.” People weren’t having it and complained to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), saying it wasn’t cool.

Government’s Eye and Bans

The Scottish government is thinking of banning these single-use products, while the UK government is looking into a whole bunch of rules for smoking and youth vaping. They’re considering banning vape product ads at places where you buy them and using fun, kid-friendly stuff in the ads.

ASA’s Verdict

ASA didn’t like what Elf Bar did. They said the ads broke eight rules about misleading advertising, making claims about being eco-friendly without the proof, and saying they offered recycling options that weren’t actually available.

Calls for a Full Ban

Some folks, like James Ward from Adfree Cities, want all nicotine vape ads gone, especially since TV, radio, print, and online ads for these vapes are already off-limits. They reckon outdoor ads are a sneaky way for these companies to sneak in and do their polluting thing.

Elf Bar’s Reaction

Elf Bar said, “Yeah, we messed up,” and promised to be stricter with their ads. They’re all about this GreenAwareness project and claim they’re working on making their products easier to recycle by 2025. They’re serious about following the rules set by ASA.

Wrap-Up

So, Elf Bar’s vape ads hit a roadblock for claiming to be all about recycling when, in reality, it’s not that simple. People are upset, governments are eyeing stricter rules, and everyone’s hoping these vape companies step up their game to keep things greener.