Interview with Arcus Managing Director: Ban Will Lead to Black Market Surge, Manufacturers should Switch to Open Systems

On January 29th, the UK government announced a complete ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes, as well as restrictions on the flavors and packaging of refillable e-cigarettes. In light of this prohibition, 2FIRSTS conducted an interview with Robert Sidebottom, the Managing Director of ARCUS COMPLIANCE, a company specializing in assisting e-cigarette businesses with compliance certification in the UK.

Firstly, Robert Sidebottom expressed his views on the ban. He stated that the government's implementation of a disposable ban is an irresponsible act as it did not, and will never have any substantive effect anywhere in the world. Moreover, the ban could potentially lead to legal markets being squeezed, while the black market may quickly emerge. In his opinion, the government should adopt a more responsible and comprehensive approach to regulate the e-cigarette market instead of resorting to a simple ban.

When discussing which product categories may absorb the lost market share due to the implementation of the disposable ban, Robert Sidebottom mentioned that he sees greater potential in open-system products. At the same time, he also expressed optimism about some innovative products such as Sky Hunter by Happy Vibes, Instafill, among others.

Robert has also offered some suggestions to Chinese manufacturers to foster their future growth.

He suggested that companies needs to ensure compliance and strategically reposition themselves to expand presence in the open market.

Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of prudence in flavor selection and recommended that products adopt straightforward and direct naming methods. For instance, flavors like mint, tobacco, and fruit should be named simply as "Mint," "Tobacco," and "Fruit," respectively. Even when it comes to fruit flavors, it is advisable to choose clear and uncomplicated names such as "Strawberry," "Cherry," "Raspberry," and "Watermelon" for optimal communication.

Lastly, he recommended that the product avoids using fancy flavor names and refrain from adopting names that appeal to teenagers, such as avoiding names like "Unicorn Milkshake". Additionally, they should not imitate names from other industries, such as avoiding names like "Skittles" or "Energy", in order to avoid rejection in the UK market.

2FIRSTS will continue to monitor the updates on the disposable e-cigarette ban in the UK. Stay tuned for more information.

"UK Disposable E-Cigarette Ban" Series Report

Policy Updates
【1】UK Government Announces Ban on Disposable E-Cigarettes
【2】Original Text of UK Government's Disposable Ban Announcement

Market Dynamics
【1】After UK Disposable Ban: Retailers Clearing Stock, Major Distributors Turning to E-liquids and Open-Systems
【2】UK Announces Disposable E-Cigarette Ban: Smoore and Yinghe Technology Stock Prices Decline

Various Perspectives
【1】Black Market or Opportunity? Insiders' Perspectives on UK Disposable Ban

【2】Interview with Arcus Managing Director: Ban Will Lead to Black Market Surge, Manufacturers should Switch to Open Systems

Business Review

【1】Disposable Ban Impact: Is Smoore's Strategic Layout Empty Again?