ASA orders Relx and Louis Shaw to stop promoting e-cigarettes on Instagram

Market by The Drum

Jun.29.2022

The ASA concluded that it breached the Cap Code (Edition 12) 2.1, 2.3 and 22.12.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has directed Chinese e-cigarette brand Relx and Geordie Shore star Louis Shaw to stop promoting nicotine-containing e-cigarettes on Instagram.

In December 2021 an Instagram story on Shaw’s account showed a hand holding two boxes containing unlicensed e-cigarettes with the brand name RELX, with text stating: ‘@RELXUK’ and ‘GET YOUR OWN – RELAX WITH 15% OFF – LOUISXMAS15.’ This 15% discount code for the product was considered promotional by the ASA.

ASA orders Relx and Louis Shaw to stop promoting e-cigarettes on Instagram — *ASA directs Relx and Louis Shaw to not promote e-cigarettes on Instagram in future*

The ad also featured text saying, ‘This product contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance.’

The ASA concluded that it breached the Cap Code (Edition 12) 2.1, 2.3 and 22.12.

The post was investigated on two grounds:

The complainant challenged whether the ad did not make clear its commercial intent

The ASA challenged whether the ad breached the code by promoting unlicensed, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and their components on Instagram

Also read:

RELX Vapes Seized by Regulator Possibly due to Incomplete Docs

#E-cigarette #E-cigarettes and Tobacco #RELX Technology

China Tobacco Regulation Shift：Policy Updates and Market Impact

EVO NXT European Tobacco & NGP Exhibition

JTI Invests EUR 300 Million in New Factory in Romania to Advance Its Localized Expansion

After being present in Romania for more than 30 years, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) announced that it will invest approximately EUR 300 million (about USD 324 million) to build a green, state-of-the-art new factory in Ilfov County, Romania, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the country.

Mar.31 by 2FIRSTS.ai

RJR Vapor Loses Tax Refund Case as Texas High Court Finds VELO Pouches Taxable

The Texas Supreme Court issued a case summary on May 8, 2026, describing its decision in Hancock v. RJR Vapor Co. LLC. The dispute centered on whether RJR Vapor’s VELO oral nicotine pouches are taxable as “tobacco products” under the Texas Tax Code. Lower courts had held that the pouches were not taxable tobacco products, but the Texas Supreme Court reversed, concluding that VELO pouches are taxable because they are made of “a tobacco substitute.”

May.09 by 2FIRSTS.ai

KT&G Launches “Miix Cigar Collection” for lil Hybrid at Convenience Stores Nationwide

KT&G said on April 15 that it will launch “Miix Cigar Collection,” a dedicated stick for its lil Hybrid heated tobacco product, at convenience stores nationwide in South Korea. The company said the product is the first in the Miix series to apply a “Balance Filter” with internal space in the filter and contains 18% cigar leaf to deliver cigar flavor. With the new launch, the Miix lineup for lil Hybrid will expand to 16 products.

Apr.15 by 2FIRSTS.ai

French Lawmakers Move to Extend Plain Packaging Rules to Vaping Product

French lawmakers Nicolas Thierry and Pierre Cazenave said on April 15 that they will file a cross-party bill to extend plain packaging requirements to vaping products. Under the proposal, unit packs and outer packaging for vaping products, including those without nicotine, would become neutral and standardized in the same way cigarette packs have been since 2017.

Apr.16 by 2FIRSTS.ai

BAT Appoints Constantinescu as CFO,He Previously Spent 16 Years at the Company

BAT has appointed Dragos Constantinescu as chief financial officer. Constantinescu, currently head of Asahi Europe & International, will join the company on September 1 and replace Javed Iqbal, who has served as interim finance chief since August last year

Apr.09 by 2FIRSTS.ai

JTI Korea Introduces Ploom AURA With Four Heating Modes and Four Device Colors

JTI Korea announced that its next-generation heated tobacco device Ploom AURA will officially launch in South Korea on April 14. The company held a media event on March 31 at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul Hotel to unveil the product in Korea for the first time.

Apr.01 by 2FIRSTS.ai