China and UK Electronic Cigarette Markets Exchange Information

Aug.22.2022
China and UK Electronic Cigarette Markets Exchange Information
China's ECCC and UKVIA exchange latest information on e-cigarette market development in a large scale communication activity with 135 attendees.

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.


This article contains excerpts or reprints from third-party sources. Copyright belongs to the original media and authors. If there is any infringement, please contact us to delete it. Any organization or individual who wishes to reproduce it should contact the author and refrain from direct reproduction.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

2Firsts Interview | Cigarette Sales Fall as Smokeless Alternatives Gain in U.S. Convenience Stores, NACS Says
2Firsts Interview | Cigarette Sales Fall as Smokeless Alternatives Gain in U.S. Convenience Stores, NACS Says
Ahead of the 2026 NACS Show, 2Firsts interviewed Chris Rapanick, NACS managing director of research, on changes reshaping the U.S. convenience-store tobacco and nicotine market. NACS data show cigarette sales declining while smokeless alternatives, including nicotine pouches, continue to grow. The interview also examines higher OTP margins, shifting backbar space, weaker store traffic, regulatory uncertainty and NACS’ outlook for 2027, offering a retailer-side view of one of the world’s largest nicotine markets.
Interview
Oct.03
Imperial Brands Sees Double-Digit NGP Growth as Sixth Year of Tobacco Revenue Gains Backs £1.5 Billion Buyback
Imperial Brands Sees Double-Digit NGP Growth as Sixth Year of Tobacco Revenue Gains Backs £1.5 Billion Buyback
Imperial Brands reaffirmed its FY26 guidance in its October 8 pre-close trading update, forecasting double-digit net revenue growth in next-generation products and share gains across heated tobacco, vape and modern oral. Tobacco net revenue is expected to grow at a low-single-digit rate, marking a sixth consecutive year of growth. The company has completed its £1.45 billion FY26 share repurchase and announced a £1.5 billion buyback for FY27. Group adjusted operating profit is expected to increase 3% to 5%, while free cash flow is forecast to exceed £2.2 billion.
Oct.09
Canada Considers Easing Pharmacy-Only Nicotine Pouch Sales Rules, Potentially Reopening Convenience Store Channel
Canada Considers Easing Pharmacy-Only Nicotine Pouch Sales Rules, Potentially Reopening Convenience Store Channel
Canada's federal government is considering changes to current restrictions on where nicotine pouches can be sold, potentially allowing authorized products to return to convenience stores and other general retail channels, although no decision has been made. Since 2024, emerging nicotine replacement therapy products such as nicotine pouches have been largely restricted to behind-the-counter pharmacy sales. Health Canada, meanwhile, continues to recall unauthorized and higher-strength nicotine pouches, indicating that the current discussion concerns retail access for authorized products rather than a broad relaxation of nicotine pouch regulation.
Sep.14
Special Report|CrossBar's High-Puff Vapes Draw Attention on Pennsylvania's 163-Product Directory as Link Between Earlier 1.3mL PMTA Filings and New 13mL Products Remains Unclear
Special Report|CrossBar's High-Puff Vapes Draw Attention on Pennsylvania's 163-Product Directory as Link Between Earlier 1.3mL PMTA Filings and New 13mL Products Remains Unclear
Pennsylvania began enforcing its electronic nicotine delivery system directory restrictions on October 19, 2026. Among 163 product listings recorded before enforcement, four CrossBar 20K disposables stood out with 13mL capacity, advertised puff counts of up to 20,000 and a flattened design distinct from conventional pod systems and compact disposables. Historical records identify earlier 1.3mL CrossBar products associated with Romo LLC, while newer 13mL products appeared in several state directories beginning in 2025 under entities including Blue Nine LLC. PMTA compliance expert Mr. K identified amendments and application ownership transfers as possible regulatory mechanisms, although neither has been confirmed in this case. Separately, Reynolds' $7.5 million acquisition of 16 PACHA products and related assets illustrates the commercial value of products linked to historic PMTA submissions.
Special Report
Oct.22
Philippines Mandates Safety Certification for Nicotine Pouches, Gives Industry 12 Months to Comply
Philippines Mandates Safety Certification for Nicotine Pouches, Gives Industry 12 Months to Comply
The Philippines Department of Trade and Industry has placed nicotine pouches under mandatory product certification through Department Administrative Order No. 26-07, Series of 2026. Nicotine pouches must obtain a Philippine Standard, or PS, license before they can be manufactured, imported, packed, distributed or sold in the country. The regime requires testing for nicotine content, pH and water activity, while packaging must disclose nicotine strength, ingredients, allergens, batch information, the PS certification mark and prescribed health warnings. Existing market participants have a 12-month transition period to comply.
Regulations
Oct.12
U.S. Customs Plan to Require Foreign Export Declarations Could Deal ‘Devastating’ Blow to China’s Vape Exports, Logistics gl Expert Says
U.S. Customs Plan to Require Foreign Export Declarations Could Deal ‘Devastating’ Blow to China’s Vape Exports, Logistics gl Expert Says
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection proposal to collect foreign export declarations and other overseas customs documents could expose discrepancies in the value, classification and description of China-made vape shipments entering the United States. A veteran Chinese logistics professional told 2Firsts that the measure, if implemented, could undermine the all-inclusive shipping model used by some unauthorized vape exporters and push parts of the trade toward costlier underground channels. The risk extends beyond higher duties: accurately declared products may also be more readily identified as unauthorized e-cigarettes subject to FDA enforcement.
Special Report
Sep.07