How to read an e-liquid label: every symbol and number decoded

Nicotine e-liquid in the UK is regulated under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, which brought in the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). That is why everyone calls compliant products TPD compliant, and why bottles look so similar across brands.

The rules cap nicotine at 20mg/ml, refill bottles at 10ml and tanks at 2ml, require child-resistant and tamper-evident packaging, and set out what has to appear on the label and leaflet. Products must also be notified to the MHRA before they can be sold. Shortfills sold at 0mg sit outside the nicotine rules, which is why they can be bigger.

The most important figure is nicotine strength, shown as mg/ml. A 10ml bottle at 20mg/ml contains 200mg of nicotine. Some labels also state the nicotine content in the whole bottle. Nic salts usually say so, often as salt nic or nic salt next to the number, and hybrids are labelled as hybrid.

The VG/PG ratio is usually printed as two numbers with VG first, so 70/30 means 70% VG and 30% PG. It is not legally required on the label, but almost every brand shows it because buyers need it. The ratio decides which kit the liquid suits, as covered in our guide to VG vs PG.

Every nicotine e-liquid label must carry a list of ingredients in descending order of weight, the nicotine content, a batch number, and a recommendation to keep the product out of reach of children. It must also show the health warning: This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.

A leaflet comes in the box with instructions for use and storage, warnings for specific groups, possible adverse effects, information on addictiveness and toxicity, and the maker's contact details. Many bottles also carry a raised tactile warning triangle you can feel, and hazard symbols where required. Do not throw the box away before you have read it once.

When a new bottle arrives, a quick scan of the label tells you whether it suits your kit and whether it is fresh. It takes less time than reading this paragraph, and it is a lot cheaper than finding out the hard way that you bought 70/30 for a 1.2 ohm pen.

If anything on a nicotine bottle looks missing, such as no health warning, no batch number or a cap that is not child-resistant, do not use it and get in touch with the seller. Our help page explains how to reach us about any order.

Labels are packed with small print, so misunderstandings are common. Some people think the warning means a product is unusually dangerous, others think a bigger bottle must mean a weaker liquid, and some assume flavourings must be listed one by one.

Flip the cards to clear them up. One extra tip: if you are sensitive to a specific ingredient, the listed ingredients are your first stop, and the manufacturer's contact details on the leaflet let you ask about anything grouped under flavourings. See our guide on PG sensitivity for more.

A new 10ml bottle lands on your doormat. The front says 20mg/ml Nic Salt, 50VG/50PG, and the warning covers a big chunk of the front and back. The seal is unbroken and the cap needs pushing down to turn, as it should.

You want to know when it was made, and whether it will still taste right if it sits in your cupboard for a few months while you finish your current bottle. Where on the bottle do you look? Hint: it is usually printed in small type on the base or the side, near the barcode, rather than anywhere on the front of the bottle.