Analysis of FDA data suggests big US vape brands will grow, as smaller ones decline

E-cigarettes manufactured by large companies may soon dominate the US vape market while many of those produced by smaller players disappear, new research by ECigIntelligence suggests.

Exclusive analysis of submissions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – seeking permission to continue selling vape products – shows there were many hundreds more applications for the simpler disposable and cigalike devices than for open system hardware.

Typically, disposable and cigalike products come from large companies such as tobacco manufacturers, while open systems are produced by smaller specialist businesses.

Of some 200 open system brands available today, only about 30 have filed premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) to the FDA for marketing authorisation, which will be necessary for them to remain on sale. Even if all are approved, that disparity implies that about 85% of open system hardware brands will soon be removed from the market.

“This may indicate the discouragement non-tobacco companies face when applying for PMTA approval,” said ECigIntelligence managing director Tim Phillips.

“The PMTA process can be a gruelling one for non-tobacco companies without sufficient financial means or knowhow. And if smaller brands are to become less prevalent in this category, consumers may soon only have the option of a few models provided by a handful of big companies.”

ECigIntelligence analysed data on more than 6m submissions received by the FDA.

– ECigIntelligence staff

Image: James Gillray / Metropolitan Museum of Art