Sales of menthol-flavored and menthol-infused electronic cigarettes have been fluctuating.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals the trends in taste preferences from 2017 to 2020, as shown in the table below.
Trend Analysis of American E-Cigarette User Flavor Preferences from 2014-2020 | Source: CDC in the USA
According to the data presented in the report, electronic cigarettes experienced a tremendous surge in sales during the first half of 2018. Among all the flavors, Mint showed the most significant growth rate. However, as of the end of 2019, sales of the Mint flavor decreased, and were replaced by Menthol.
In addition, tobacco flavor sales remained stable during the reporting period, with a slight increase since 2019. Other flavors, including various fruit flavors, chocolate, candy flavors, etc., experienced a rise in sales between 2018 and 2019, but a decline towards the end of 2019.
A report indicates that from November 2016 to August 2019, the overall sales growth of e-cigarettes relied predominantly on the growth of menthol-flavored e-cigarette sales. By August 2019, refillable products held nearly 90% of the market share, with JUUL being the significant leader.
The new and mixed flavors dominate the market.
A study by Truth Initiative has found that electronic cigarettes with strong fruity flavors, sweet and cooling sensations are popular among young users.
More than half (56.8%) of e-cigarette users surveyed in a recent study reported using disposable e-cigarettes as their most commonly used product in the past month, while less than a quarter (22.7%) reported using pod vapes. Within the past month, 74.8% of respondents reported using flavored e-cigarettes, with the most popular flavors being mango ice (30.2%), banana ice (26.4%), mint ice (23.8%), and honeydew ice (22.9%). Additionally, 57.9% of respondents reported using new concept flavors such as Blue Dream and Chrysanthemum, with over one-third (38.2%) reporting use of three or more new concept flavors within the past 30 days. Blends with fruit and cool flavor profiles were the most popular.
The study emphasizes the need to further categorize e-cigarette flavors in order to monitor the growth of new products and tastes.
Some flavor concepts do not have significant differences from mixed flavors in terms of fruity, sweet, mint, and cooling tastes. Truth Initiative says that previous research has shown that adding menthol to cigarettes significantly increases youth smoking and the presence of cooling tastes in e-cigarettes is a worrying issue.
Further Reading:
On Tuesday, the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a presentation in support of the ban on menthol-flavored cigarettes. The presentation aimed to clarify the difference between menthol flavor and menthol itself.
Taking stock of the regions in the United States where flavored e-cigarettes are banned.
References:
A significant number of young e-cigarette users are utilizing various flavor blends, as well as "concept" flavors such as Iced Mango, Blue Dream, and OMG.
The sales figures for electronic cigarettes in the United States from 2014 to 2020 are presented here, broken down by product and flavor type.
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