According to a report by BBC on November 30th, prominent e-cigarette brands ELFBAR and LOST MARY have announced their decision to discontinue the production of e-cigarettes with dessert and soft drink flavors that may appeal to underage individuals. Additionally, they are urging the implementation of a licensing system similar to that of cigarettes and alcohol.
According to data from Nielsen IQ, ELFBAR and LOST MARY e-cigarette sales account for over half of the disposable e-cigarette market in the UK. Both of these brands are owned by IMiracle (Heaven Gifts).
The British government's public consultation on new regulations for e-cigarettes is set to conclude on December 6th.
ELFBAR has discontinued flavors such as bubblegum, marshmallow, and rainbow candy in their e-cigarettes, and more flavors are set to be taken off the shelves soon. Even though the "Bears Candy" flavor has been renamed to "Soft Candy," it will also be removed from the market shortly.
Despite the need for some time for these changes to permeate the supply chain, they assert that the changes will soon be visible on store shelves. They are also seeking stricter regulations on e-cigarette sales, including requiring retailers to obtain licenses and mandating that e-cigarettes be displayed behind the counter.
Introducing such a system will reduce the opportunities for minors to come into contact with e-cigarettes, and make it easier for authorities to regulate the sale of e-cigarette devices. Additionally, we believe this will help combat the growing illegal e-cigarette market and improve e-cigarette disposal rates," said a spokesperson for ELFBAR.
British American Tobacco (BAT) also voiced support for the introduction of a licensing system. However, ELFBAR opposes the implementation of a new tobacco-like tax regime, as they believe it could encourage former smokers to turn to illicit e-cigarettes or resume smoking traditional cigarettes.
On the other hand, Hazel Cheeseman, Deputy CEO of the anti-smoking charity ASH, expressed that increasing taxes on e-cigarettes is crucial for regulating the illicit market and enabling greater product control at the borders.
According to a recent survey conducted this year, it has been revealed that 50% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 who have experimented with e-cigarettes have used ELFBAR, while 25% have tried LOST MARY. Surprisingly, there has been no response from SKE, the UK's second-largest e-cigarette retailer, regarding this inquiry.
Many lawmakers are calling for a complete ban on the use of disposable e-cigarettes due to their attraction to minors, environmental pollution, and the risk of fire incidents.
According to Nielsen IQ statistics, the e-cigarette sales value of ELFBAR and LOST MARY exceeded £900 million in the span of 12 months, with an average of over 160 million units sold. However, these figures only represent half of the e-cigarette market, as many tobacco stores, online retailers, and convenience stores are not included. Therefore, the actual numbers could potentially be twice as high as the reported data.
The public consultation on e-cigarette regulations is set to conclude on December 6th, after which England, Scotland, and Wales are expected to swiftly introduce relevant legislation.
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