UK compliance

How to match an MHRA ECIG listing to a vape product: a Great Britain buyer checklist

Q: What should I do if the vape product is not on the MHRA list?

Ask the supplier to confirm the correct notification and publication details and intended market. MHRA retailer guidance says an unpublished product should not be supplied. Do not assume that a listing for a related product covers the product in hand.

A practical, source-backed method for using the MHRA ECIG public search without confusing a listed record with a blanket approval of the product in front of you.

By Aerova Trade Information Team · Updated 05/10/2026 · 10-minute read

Answer first

How do you check whether an MHRA ECIG listing matches a vape product?

Start with the exact product in hand, then use the MHRA ECIG public search to match its identifier or brand details, product type and intended market. A published Great Britain ECIG record is an essential status check for a nicotine-containing product, but it does not by itself prove that every pack, accessory, label or production batch meets every UK obligation. Treat the result as one controlled evidence item in a product-verification file.

This article is general information for UK trade professionals aged 18 or over. It is not legal, regulatory, tax, medical or consumer-use advice. Verify the precise product and market with official guidance and qualified advisers before supply, import, branding or compliance approval.

Key takeaways

The current Great Britain ECIG search supports fields including ECID/GBID, submitter, brand, brand sub-type and product type.
First match the intended market: the Great Britain search covers products published since 1 January 2021; separate routes are shown for Northern Ireland and historic UK records.
MHRA says a product must be published on the relevant list before it may legally be supplied, but publication does not guarantee that UK labelling requirements are met.
A new product or a substantially modified product has its own notification requirements, so do not assume that a similar listing clears a different presentation.

What can you see in the MHRA ECIG public search?

The ECIG dynamic search is a public reference tool for published product records, not a substitute for the supplier’s product file. At the time of writing, its Great Britain search supports ECID/GBID, submitter name, brand name(s), brand sub-type name(s) and product type. Search results show the submitter, product ID, brand, sub-type, product type and publication date.

ECIG search field	How a buyer should use it	Common matching risk
ECID / GBID	Use it as the preferred starting point if a supplier can provide the product-specific ID.	Assuming an ID for one flavour, pack or configuration clears every variant in a family.
Submitter name	Compare it with the producer, importer or re-branding party declared in your supply documentation.	Confusing a factory, distributor and legal submitter when names differ across documents.
Brand and brand sub-type	Search exact names from the retail unit, outer pack and product variant—not only the master brand.	Matching a similar flavour or series name while missing strength, format or version differences.
Product type	Check whether the record describes the type actually being supplied: for example, refillable device only, refill container/cartridge, or kit.	Using a device-only record to infer the status of a nicotine-containing pod or a different kit presentation.
Published date	Retain it with the search result so the verification file records what was visible when it was checked.	Treating the date as proof that later pack or hardware changes were included in the original record.

Open the MHRA ECIG Great Britain public search

How to match the listing to the precise product: seven steps

A robust check moves from the physical product to the public record and then back to the supplier evidence. The objective is not simply to find a plausible-looking entry; it is to document why the entry, product configuration and intended market belong together.

Record the product exactly as supplied.
Capture the full retail pack, brand, variant/sub-type, nicotine statement, liquid capacity, device or pod configuration, barcode where relevant, batch details, importer/producer details and any supplied notification identifier. Do not begin with an abbreviated sales name.
Confirm the destination market before searching.
For a Great Britain supply route, start with the current GB ECIG list. MHRA guidance directs users to different linked material for Northern Ireland products from 1 January 2021 and for historic UK publications before 31 December 2020. A record must fit the market where the product will be supplied.
Search by ECID/GBID when available.
Ask the supplier for the exact product-specific ID and search it first. If no ID is available, use the full brand and sub-type wording and then narrow using product type and submitter. Save the results page or a dated record of the fields checked.
Match the product type before relying on a name match.
MHRA’s public search distinguishes product types, including refillable device only, refill container/cartridge containing e-liquid and multi-item kits. A matching brand name is not enough if the listed product type differs from the item being purchased or supplied.
Compare the listing against the exact commercial presentation.
Use the physical unit, outer pack and supplier confirmation to check the configuration being sold. Ask the supplier to explain the relationship between the listed entry and the version in hand, especially where a kit contains separately supplied nicotine liquid, a replacement pod or an accessory.
Check whether a change could be a modified product.
Regulation 31 requires a producer to notify a substantially modified product. Changes to the precise configuration, components, capacity, nicotine content, pack or product architecture should therefore trigger a documented supplier and compliance review rather than an assumption that a prior record carries forward.
File the public record with the wider product evidence.
Keep the search result with the product specification, approved retail artwork, applicable technical/production evidence and a dated supplier confirmation. MHRA due-diligence guidance says notification information alone is not sufficient to demonstrate product quality and safety controls.

What does a published ECIG listing prove—and what does it not prove?

A published record supports the notification-and-publication check for the matching product and market; it does not convert a public database search into a blanket compliance certificate. MHRA advises retailers to ensure notification has been published and to request supplier confirmation if they cannot locate the product. It also expressly states that publication of a notified product does not guarantee compliance with UK labelling requirements.

A published matching record can support	It does not, by itself, establish
That an MHRA publication record exists for the matching notified product and relevant market route.	That every label, leaflet, outer pack, claim, accessory or batch currently in circulation meets the applicable rules.
A controlled supplier conversation about the ECID/GBID, submitter, product type and publication date.	That a different flavour, nicotine strength, tank/pod capacity, kit or re-brand is included without a product-specific match.
Evidence that the buyer checked public notification status before supply.	That due diligence is complete without specifications, technical documentation, manufacturing/batch records and ongoing monitoring.
A reason to identify the intended product-market route precisely.	That Great Britain and Northern Ireland status are interchangeable.

Understand why “TPD compliant” is not a single certificate Review Great Britain vape pack and leaflet checks Check nicotine-strength and capacity labels

What should you do if the record does not match?

Pause the product-approval decision and ask for an evidence-led explanation. MHRA retailer guidance says that if a product cannot be located on the website, the supplier should confirm that it has been correctly notified and published and provide the details needed to verify its status. If notification has not yet been published, the product should not be supplied.

Finding	Recommended trade response
No public match by supplied identifier	Ask the supplier to confirm the identifier, intended market, submitter, brand/sub-type and publication route. Do not substitute a similar entry based on the brand alone.
Brand match but different product type	Treat it as an unmatched product until the supplier provides a product-specific explanation and evidence for the actual configuration.
Great Britain search has no match but the product is claimed for NI	Check the Northern Ireland route linked from the MHRA publication service and verify the intended place of supply before taking further action.
Listing exists but packaging or product details differ	Escalate the discrepancy to the supplier/compliance team. A public entry does not resolve pack, capacity, nicotine, component or accessory differences.
Supplier cannot explain the relationship between product and record	Do not rely on a generic compliance claim. Seek independent professional or Trading Standards advice for the situation if necessary.

Why must Great Britain and Northern Ireland be checked separately?

The intended market determines the notification route and the publication record you should verify. MHRA guidance explains that, from 1 January 2021, Great Britain uses a domestic notification system while Northern Ireland uses the EU Common Entry Gate route. The public service provides a current Great Britain list plus links to Northern Ireland products published from 1 January 2021 and historic UK publications.

In practical terms, write the intended destination into the product file and the purchase specification. A team should not read a Great Britain result as a blanket Northern Ireland authorisation, or vice versa. The same discipline matters when managing warehouse allocation, distributor territories and pack artwork approval.

Read MHRA’s explanation of ECIG searches and market-specific publication lists

When does a new or changed product need a notification review?

Notification is tied to the product, and Regulation 31 separately refers to substantially modified products. In ordinary non-transitional cases, the regulation says the notification must be submitted at least six months before first supply of a product or modified product. The notification information includes, where relevant, supplier details, ingredients and emissions, nicotine dose/uptake, component and refill-mechanism description, production-process information and quality/safety responsibility.

That is why a buyer should request a documented assessment when the exact commercial item changes. This article does not define whether a proposed change is “substantial”; that is a product-specific regulatory question. It explains why matching a product in hand to a pre-existing entry should be a controlled task, not a naming exercise.

Read TRPR Regulation 31: notification about electronic cigarettes and refill containers

What belongs in a retailer or buyer verification file?

MHRA’s Great Britain due-diligence guidance says that the information submitted in notification is not, on its own, enough to demonstrate due diligence for product quality and safety. A useful file links the public record to the physical and commercial item being approved.

Screen capture or dated export of the ECIG search result, search terms used and the intended market.
Supplier’s written mapping of ECID/GBID to the exact brand, sub-type, product type and retail presentation.
Product specification, including nicotine configuration, capacity, device/pod/cartridge setup and any accessory sold with it.
Approved retail pack and leaflet artwork for the market, together with version control.
Where appropriate, batch, production, quality, safety, stability and corrective-action documentation.
Documented re-check triggers when formulation, components, capacity, nicotine statement, branding, packaging, product type or market changes.

Read MHRA Great Britain due-diligence guidance

Frequently asked questions

How do I search the MHRA ECIG list?

Use the MHRA publication home page, select the ECIG route for the Great Britain notified products list and search by ECID/GBID, submitter name, brand name, brand sub-type or product type. Start with the product-specific ID where it is available, then compare the result to the exact product and market.

Does an MHRA ECIG listing mean the product is fully approved?

No. A published record is important notification-status evidence, but MHRA says publication does not guarantee UK labelling compliance. It should be assessed alongside the physical product, pack, component configuration and wider supplier evidence.

What does GBID mean on an MHRA vape listing?

GBID is a product identifier field available in the Great Britain ECIG public search. It can help a buyer locate a record, but the buyer should still match the submitter, brand/sub-type, product type and precise commercial presentation.

Can I search the list by brand name if I do not have an ECID or GBID?

Yes. The public search supports brand and brand sub-type fields. Brand-only results can include multiple items, so use product type, submitter and the supplier’s written product mapping to avoid relying on a merely similar record.

What should I do if the vape product is not on the MHRA list?

Ask the supplier to confirm the correct notification/publication details and intended market. MHRA retailer guidance says an unpublished product should not be supplied. Do not resolve the issue by assuming that a listing for a related product covers the product in hand.

Official sources

From public record to product brief

Make verification questions part of the reusable product programme.

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