UK Nicotine Strength Guide: mg vs % Explained

Quick answer: mg vs %

Quick answer: 20mg/ml = 2% · 10mg/ml = 1% · 5mg/ml = 0.5% · 3mg/ml = 0.3%. On most UK retail packs these pairs describe the same concentration, written two ways (divide mg/ml by 10).

If one pack says 20mg and another says 2%, they are normally the same strength — not two different nicotine “types”. The legal TRPR ceiling is written as 20mg/ml.

What does mg/ml mean?

mg/ml means milligrams of nicotine in each millilitre of e-liquid. It is a concentration (strength), not the total nicotine sitting in the whole bottle or pod.

• ✅ Correct: 20mg/ml = 20 milligrams of nicotine per ml
• ❌ Common mix-up: “20mg = only 20mg of nicotine in the entire product”

UK law and MHRA consumer guidance use this mg/ml scale for the maximum strength of nicotine-containing e-liquid sold to consumers.

What does % nicotine mean?

On many UK retail packs, % is a shorthand label for the same concentration. The usual shop floor conversion is:

Retail shorthand: % ≈ mg/ml ÷ 10. Example: 20 ÷ 10 = 2%.

That is why “20mg” and “2%” appear side by side so often. Always read the pack: manufacturers may print one, the other, or both.

mg vs percentage conversion table

Use this chart for label literacy. Not every strength is stocked on every shelf — UK retail nic salts and prefills commonly centre on 10mg and 20mg, while lower figures appear more often on some freebase / high-power style liquids.

Nicotine strength vs total nicotine content

These are two different ideas. Mixing them up is one of the biggest labelling mistakes we see.

Label-literacy examples only (not medical dosing):

• A full 2ml pod at 20mg/ml → 20 × 2 = 40mg total nicotine in that full volume
• A full 10ml bottle at 20mg/ml → 20 × 10 = 200mg total nicotine in that full bottle

Bottom line: 20mg/ml = nicotine strength (concentration). Total nicotine depends on liquid volume — e.g. a full 2ml pod at 20mg/ml is 20 × 2 = 40mg nicotine total, not “20mg in the whole pod”. Two products can share the same 20mg/ml label and hold different totals because volumes differ (≤2ml tank/cartridge vs ≤10ml refill bottle under TRPR).

For a deeper prefilled focus, see What 20mg means on UK prefilled kits.

Common UK nicotine strengths

On Vapeloxa and typical UK shelves:

• 10ml nic salts — commonly listed at 10mg or 20mg · Shop nic salts
• Prefilled pods & kits — many titles include 20mg · Shop prefilled pods · Hayati · Lost Mary
• Lower labels (3–6mg) — more often associated with higher-power / freebase-style liquids than with sealed MTL prefills

Nic salt is an e-liquid, not a device. Kits and pod systems are devices; mg/% describes the liquid.

Choosing the right nicotine strength

Shoppers usually want a starting point — not a prescription. The ranges below are catalogue shopping patterns only. Preference varies; always check the printed pack.

Quick pick by shopping type (not medical advice):

1. Want a lower printed strength first → Look for 10mg/ml Shop 10ml
2. Used strong disposables before the ban → Many first try 20mg pods Shop pods
3. 20mg feels too sharp → Next buy: 10mg/ml Shop salts
4. Want lower running cost → Refillable kit + 10ml Shop kits

Nic salt vs freebase nicotine

Both can carry the same mg/ml label. The form of nicotine and the device type change how the liquid is usually sold and used.

Nicotine strength and device type

Device style changes how much vapour you get per puff — so shoppers often pair different labelled strengths with different hardware. Again: shopping patterns, not medical rules.

• Pod systems / sealed prefills — usually MTL, smaller vapour; many UK shoppers browse higher labels (often 10–20mg). Examples: Hayati, Lost Mary, prefilled pods.
• Refillable MTL kits — fill with 10ml nic salt at the label you prefer · Vape kits · confirm pods on the compatibility map.
• Higher-power / DL-style kits — much more vapour per puff; shoppers often choose lower printed strengths (commonly in the 3–6mg area on freebase-style liquids).

Does higher mg mean more vapour? No. Vapour volume is driven mainly by device power, airflow and coil — not by the mg/ml number alone.

UK nicotine strength rules

Under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), as summarised by the MHRA for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, nicotine-containing vape products sold to consumers must follow these capacity and strength rules:

• Nicotine strength: no more than 20mg/ml
• Tank / cartridge volume: no more than 2ml
• Refill container (bottle): no more than 10ml of nicotine-containing e-liquid
• Notification: nicotine e-cigarettes and refill containers must be notified and published by the MHRA before sale

Primary references: GOV.UK — E-cigarettes: regulations for consumer products (MHRA) · TRPR 2016, regulation 36.

Separately, supplying single-use (disposable) vapes has been banned in the UK from 1 June 2025. Rechargeable prefills and refillables remain legal retail paths when they comply with product rules. Reference: GOV.UK single-use vapes ban.

10ml and 2ml — simple capacity maths

TRPR caps a nicotine refill bottle at 10ml and a tank/cartridge at 2ml. So one full 10ml bottle contains enough liquid volume for up to five complete 2ml fills in theory. Real use varies with leftover liquid, coil changes and partial fills.

Common labelling mistakes

• Thinking % is a different legal scale from mg/ml — TRPR’s ceiling is 20mg/ml; % on packs is usually the same concentration written another way.
• Assuming 20mg means 20mg in the whole pod — that is strength, not total content. See the maths above.
• Comparing UK 20mg/ml to overseas “50mg” style claims — those are not legal UK retail nicotine e-liquid presentations under TRPR.
• Buying a 10ml bottle with no refillable device — bottles need compatible hardware.
• Assuming every 20mg product feels identical — device, coil and flavour change experience even at the same label.

FAQ

Related products

Nic salts · Prefilled pods · Vape kits · Hayati · Lost Mary · What 20mg means · Compatibility map · Kit vs Pod vs Nic Salt

Official sources

• MHRA / GOV.UK — E-cigarettes: regulations for consumer products
• The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, regulation 36
• GOV.UK — Single-use vapes ban (from 1 June 2025)