China and UK Electronic Cigarette Markets Exchange Information

On the afternoon of August 19th, the Electronic Cigarette Committee of the China Electronic Chamber of Commerce (ECCC) communicated with the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) regarding the latest information on the electronic cigarette markets of both countries. This meeting was a large-scale exchange activity organized by ECCC and UKVIA, with a total of 135 participants online and offline.

The Secretary-General of the Electronic Cigarette Committee, Ao Weinuo, and representatives from the companies Youweier, including the Senior Marketing Manager Wang Yuhang, Regional Marketing Manager Chen Jierong, and Business Development Manager Chen Jia'en from Meizhong Lian attended the meeting. The representative from the UK was the General Secretary of UKVIA, John Dunne.

Caption: Secretary-General Ao Weinuo listens to John Dunne's presentation on the UK market at the beginning of the conference. Secretary-General Ao expresses warm greetings to John Dunne and is glad to once again exchange industry insights with UKVIA. The UK is the world's most supportive country for electronic cigarette development, and UKVIA is the most active and effective association. It is a long-standing strategic partner of the Industry Committee and serves as a bridge and window for domestic enterprises to understand the electronic cigarette industry. The Industry Committee is willing to maintain close cooperation and frequent communication with UKVIA in the future.

Later, Secretary General Ao Weinuo introduced the gradual introduction of domestic legal regulatory details, which are currently in the final stage of the transitional period. Electronic cigarette manufacturers must obtain legal permits and comply with regulations. With regulatory oversight, the industry will move towards standardized and healthy development.

Secretary General Ao Weinuo shared with John Dunne two significant achievements of the ECCC in recent times: Firstly, the collaboration with units such as Shenzhen Airport resulted in the introduction of "E-cigarette Whitelist" enterprise recognition standards and differentiated security checks, aimed at providing greater convenience for Chinese e-cigarette exports worldwide and safeguarding the foreign exchange earnings of Chinese businesses. Secondly, the initiative to encourage the signing of the "Compliance Business Commitment" by members of the specialized committee has established a positive image for the e-cigarette industry in China and promoted the healthy development of the global e-cigarette industry.

John Dunne answered the questions of attending companies on the current state of the electronic cigarette market in the UK. He stated that the market has rebounded from its low point in 2020, with an expected growth of 11% this year. There are approximately 3.5 million adult electronic cigarette consumers. In terms of popular electronic cigarette categories, open and refillable systems account for 35% in 2022, followed by prefilled systems. Disposable electronic cigarettes have grown from 5% last year to 10% this year, raising concerns about environmental issues among the public in the UK.

Screenshot of UKVIA Speech

Screenshot of UKVIA speech

Caption: John Dunne, Director General of UKVIA, answers questions from Chinese companies.

In addition, John Dunne has earnestly advised companies on the trend of environmental protection for electronic cigarettes. Currently, recycling organizations in the UK have limited recycling capabilities and cannot handle the entire volume of electronic cigarettes. Even if some organizations have the ability to do so, the cost is very high. Therefore, if the UK government tightens environmental regulations on electronic cigarettes, electronic cigarette companies will face a great crisis. John Dunne stated that Chinese electronic cigarette manufacturing companies should focus more on environmental planning in material research and product design. For example, companies can prioritize the selection of reusable and biodegradable materials.

At the end of the meeting, Secretary-General Ao Weinuo suggested to John Dunne that the UKVIA lead Chinese electronic cigarette companies into British retail shops during their next livestream, enabling Chinese companies to engage in online dialogue with British retailers and enhance their understanding of the British electronic cigarette market. ECCC expressed a willingness to collaborate with UKVIA to promote the healthy and high-quality development of the electronic cigarette industry.

The commission provided valuable insights into the latest developments in the UK market for 2022 during the symposium, which is significant for Chinese e-cigarette companies looking to develop overseas strategies and expand into international markets. The commission remains committed to prioritizing its daily duties of serving its member companies, assisting them in achieving compliance and ethical operations domestically and internationally, and promoting sustainable progress in the global e-cigarette industry in terms of compliance, environmental protection, and underage protection.

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