Vape Check
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Information Platform Belgium

Know the difference.
Protect consumers.

VapeCheck provides objective facts about legal and illegal vapes in Belgium. Discover the truth, recognise the risks and make informed choices.

Legal vs illegal Myths in the media
+50%

of the market is illegal

Source: Vapebel sector analysis

Current figures

The illegal market in real-time

Every figure below ticks up while you read. Based on Vapebel sector analysis and two objective consumer analyses, conducted in the Belgian vaping market.

Live count 2026

Based on 48 million illegal vape equivalents per year (Vapebel sector data) and €81.1M in lost government revenue through excise duties, VAT, corporate tax and social contributions.

Estimated illegal vapes sold in Belgium

39.712.251

Lost government revenue

€67.100.467

Per day

131.507

While you were reading,

0 illegal vapes

were sold in Belgium.

Without quality control, without tax payment, without consumer protection.

View the facts

Calculation method

The figures on this page are estimates, based on a combination of sector data (Vapebel) and objective consumer analyses from the Belgian vaping market.

Starting point: the legal market

Vapebel has detailed sales figures for the legal vaping market in Belgium. These form the starting point for the calculation. Total revenue for the legal market is estimated at approximately €180 million per year.

Extrapolation to the illegal market

Based on two objective consumer analyses, the share of the illegal market is estimated at a minimum of 50% of total volume. This ratio is applied to the known legal sales figures to calculate the total illegal volume. Anyone walking around Belgium today and seeing the masses of disposable vapes with flashing LED lights at the bottom realises this is not an abstract figure: illegal vapes are visible everywhere in the streets.

Conversion to 2 ml units

Legal pods in Belgium contain a maximum of 2 ml e-liquid per unit. Illegal vapes often contain considerably more, up to 15-20 ml. The counter converts the estimated volume into 2 ml equivalents, so the figures are comparable with legal units and like is compared with like.

48 million illegal equivalents

Based on Vapebel sector data, the legal Belgian market is estimated at approximately 48 million pods per year, expressed in 2 ml equivalents. Since the illegal market is estimated to be at least as large, total illegal equivalents come to approximately 48 million per year.

~€80 million in lost government revenue

The legal Belgian vaping market (€180M/year in revenue) generates €79.2 million annually in government revenue through four channels: excise duties (€30M), VAT (€37.8M), corporate tax (€8.7M) and social contributions (€2.7M). Since the illegal market is at least as large, the government misses out on an equivalent sum.

Bebat and Recupel

Bebat and Recupel contributions are levied per physical device. For an average illegal vape of 20 ml, 48 million 2 ml equivalents correspond to approximately 4.8 million physical devices. This yields €384,000 in Bebat and €720,000 in Recupel contributions, totalling approximately €1.1 million per year.

Free tool

Check your Vape

Not sure if your vape is legal? Go through our step-by-step check and get a clear verdict based on Belgian legislation.

Choose your product type, answer a few questions about packaging and contents, and find out within a minute whether your product complies with the rules.

Start the check
How it works
1

Choose your product type

E-liquid, pod, disposable vape or mod

2

Answer the questions

Fiscal stamp, packaging, contents

3

Receive your verdict

Compliant or illegal, with explanation

Based on Belgian legislation

KB 28/10/2016 · KB 07/11/2022 · KB 03/05/2024

Our core message

Why VapeCheck?

Belgium has a growing problem with illegal vapes. We provide the facts so consumers, policymakers and media can make informed decisions.

01

Facts

Objective data and scientific sources on the Belgian vaping market — no lobbying, no agenda.

02

Transparency

Open methodology, clear source attribution and honest communication about who we are and who supports us.

03

Protection

Helping consumers make informed choices and recognise and avoid illegal products.

Media monitor

The media under the microscope

Vaping is a complex and rapidly evolving subject. Not all media reports keep pace with legislation or distinguish between legal and illegal products. VapeCheck monitors publications, clarifies ambiguities and places figures in their proper context, with source references.

Each article receives a verdict: from correct to incomplete. Transparent, substantiated and publicly accessible.

View the analyses
What we flag
Illegal product as norm
"The new generation of vapes has a display and interactive features..."
Illegal name as industry example
"Flavours like 'grandma's apple pie' show how the vape industry targets young people..."
Correct figure, wrong conclusion
"Vapes contain up to 10x more nicotine, and the number of vaping teenagers has tripled..."