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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Shanti Das and Jon Ungoed-Thomas

Chinese vaping giant flouting UK advertising rules on selling to children

Some social media influencers promoting Elf Bar on TikTok
Some social media influencers promoting Elf Bar on TikTok appear to blur the line between advertising and reviewing. Photograph: TikTok

A leading e-cigarette brand is flouting rules to promote its products to young people in Britain, an Observer investigation has found, as experts warn that brightly coloured, sweet-flavoured vapes are being used by children as young as seven.

Elf Bar, a Chinese-owned vaping giant that has seen the use of its products by under-18s soar in the past year, is being promoted by social influencers, who in some cases claim to be paid for the promotions and benefit from free products.

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