On January 20th, the General Administration of Customs of China released the export trade data for e-cigarettes in December 2024. The data shows that the total export value of e-cigarettes from China in December 2024 was approximately $1.011 billion, an increase of 8.8% from the previous month but a decrease of 7.9% compared to the same period last year. When looking at the data for the entire year of 2024, China's e-cigarette exports totaled nearly $11 billion, representing a year-on-year decrease of 1.11%.
Exports in December exceeded another $1 billion, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea ranking in the top three.
In December, the Chinese e-cigarette export market continued to be dominated by North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The main market rankings are as follows:
United States: The export amount reached $3.98 billion, accounting for 38.9% of the global export market share, with a month-on-month growth of 21.7% and a strong year-on-year growth, remaining firmly in the top spot.
United Kingdom: Ranks second with a significant increase of 14.6% to $1.01 billion.
South Korea: ranked third with $63.96 million, showing a slight increase of 4.5% from the previous period.
Germany: Export volume in December was $51.03 million, a decrease of 21.4% month-on-month.
Malaysia's export totalled $36.51 million, decreasing by 5.6% compared to the previous period.
In addition, Russia saw a month-on-month growth of 12.3%, with exports totaling 32.37 million US dollars. Although the overall amount decreased, it maintained a moderate growth trend. Canada's exports amounted to 32.11 million US dollars, with a month-on-month increase of 0.8%. The United Arab Emirates remained stable at 28.33 million US dollars, with a month-on-month growth of 6.2%. Indonesia's exports totaled 23.31 million US dollars, with a month-on-month decrease of 0.6%, but it remains an important market in Southeast Asia. The Netherlands' exports totaled 23.05 million US dollars, remaining unchanged month-on-month.
In 2024, the export volume exceeded 10 billion US dollars, with impressive performance in markets such as Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
In 2024, China exported e-cigarettes worth 10.96 billion US dollars to foreign markets. The top ten countries and regions in terms of e-cigarette exports are as follows:
United States: Exports reached $37.02 billion, accounting for 36% of total exports, making it the largest market in the world with sustained strong demand.
United Kingdom: Exports reached $12.19 billion, making it the leading consumer country in Europe and the second largest market in the world, showing steady performance.
South Korea ranks third with $7.17 billion as a key hub for product transshipment.
Germany: Its export value reached 677 million US dollars, showing a significant year-on-year growth, making it the largest e-cigarette importing country in the European Union.
Russia: The total annual export value is $5.29 billion, despite being affected by geopolitical and economic factors, it still maintains a high demand.
Netherlands: Ranks sixth with $4.18 billion, a key transit country for European goods, showing relatively stable performance.
Malaysia: Leading the Southeast Asian market with exports totaling $384 million under strengthened policies and regulations.
Canada's total annual exports amounted to $276 million, showing stable performance.
United Arab Emirates: Exports amount to $256 million, with a significant increase in demand from the Middle East region.
Japan: Entering the top ten with $2.16 billion, it is a new growth point in the Asian market.
Looking back as a whole, in 2024, the e-cigarette market is divided into regions, with different trends occurring within each market.
The United States has strengthened its leading position in the e-cigarette market, with over one-third market share and the title of the largest single e-cigarette market globally.
The European market is showing a mixed situation: the UK is holding steady, while Germany in the EU is experiencing significant growth, leading to a shift in the market dynamics within Europe.
Emerging markets are rising rapidly: markets such as Japan and the United Arab Emirates are showing remarkable performance and demonstrating strong growth potential.
Policy instability is evident in Southeast Asian markets such as Malaysia and Russia, where there is demand but policy fluctuations and economic conditions are impacting their growth.
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