Business briefing
The business briefing section offers news and updates from around the vapour industry. It focus mainly on companies and brands, global business, technology advancements and more. In addition, our news stories cover individual company updates, including everything from investment news and legal battles to sales revenue changes. It also covers technological and medical innovations taking place around the world.
FDA marketing denial orders spread fear and confusion among US vaping retailers
Written by Antonia di Lorenzo || 23rd September 2021 || Business briefing |
The US FDA’s rejection of premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) has sown confusion among vape retailers, who are urging the agency to make public which vaping products have been approved for sale ...
NRT and e-cigarettes work best in combination, says UK agency
Written by Antonia di Lorenzo || 16th September 2021 || Business briefing |
A UK smoking cessation body says a combination of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and vaping products can be more effective than either on their own in helping smokers quit – though e-cigarettes alone come very close ...
Vape retailers required to post age-limit signs as New Zealand takes another step
Written by Antonia di Lorenzo || 10th September 2021 || Business briefing |
New regulations that come into force in New Zealand tomorrow will oblige retailers, including vape stores, to display signs at each point-of-sale warning customers that e-cigarette products are not for sale to minors ...
German industry association planning opposition to tax scheme despite talks
Written by ECigIntelligence || 2nd September 2021 || Business briefing |
The German Alliance for Tobacco-free Pleasure (BfTG) intends to pursue a legal challenge to the country’s coming e-liquid tax, despite meeting government officials to discuss its details ...
Quit success double but smoking by young adults up in first UK lockdown
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 26th August 2021 || Business briefing |
A study by Cancer Research UK has found that the success rate of attempts to quit smoking in England almost doubled during the first Covid-19 lockdown, while smoking by young adults increased by almost 25% ...
It’s PSG-eekvape as e-cig maker gains promotion with leading football club
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 25th August 2021 || Business briefing |
Chinese e-cigarette manufacturer Geekvape has signed a deal with top French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for the 2021-2022 season – a deal tied up in regulatory restrictions ...
RLX blames threat of tighter Chinese regulation for Q2 slowdown in growth
Written by Antonia di Lorenzo || 20th August 2021 || Business briefing |
RLX Technology has reported a slowdown in its revenue growth for the second quarter of the year due to “external factors” ...
As FDA faces a paperwork tsunami, big firms may come out of it best
Written by Barnaby Page || 19th August 2021 || Blog , Business briefing |
The number of applications thrown in the metaphorical dumpster is huge, but so is number of outstanding applications, and the question remains how the FDA can possibly deal with all of them ...
UK’s MHRA confirms new e-cig products can only be marketed if on official list
Written by Antonia di Lorenzo || 17th August 2021 || Business briefing |
The UK’s MHRA has updated its industry guidance and clarified that vaping products can be legally placed on the market only when a compliant notification is published online ...
How will Australia’s new sales regime work?
Written by Barnaby Page || 11th August 2021 || Blog , Business briefing |
Australian consumers will soon be able to obtain medically licensed nicotine-containing e-cigarettes from community and online pharmacies, but questions remain ...
Canadian vape stores still waiting to feel the effects of new 20 mg/ml nicotine cap
Written by ECigIntelligence || 5th August 2021 || Business briefing |
Canada’s vape shops have not yet seen any sharp drop in sales since the country capped nicotine concentration but many are wondering what may happen when high-strength e-liquids are no longer available ...
Oregon businesses assess the likely impact of upcoming online sales ban
Written by ECigIntelligence || 2nd August 2021 || Business briefing |
Oregon’s e-cigarette industry fears the impact on business after the state became the first in the US Pacific Northwest to pass a ban on certain sales of nicotine vaping products ...
Vuse in full sail with BAT’s vapour volume up 70% year-on-year in first half of 2021
Written by Antonia di Lorenzo || 28th July 2021 || Business briefing |
British American Tobacco (BAT)’s revenue from its new category portfolio rose by 40.4% year-on-year to £883m in the first half of 2021, driven by the post-pandemic recovery of its vapour segment ...
Back to the drawing-board for Nerudia as ‘more prudent’ Imperial ponders job cuts
Written by Antonia di Lorenzo || 26th July 2021 || Business briefing |
A proposed restructuring of Nerudia, a UK e-liquid manufacturer owned by Imperial Brands, could lead to the loss of 77 jobs across its research and development and production departments in Liverpool ...
Cannabis vape entrepreneur aims to make his device ‘the medical Nespresso’
Written by ECigIntelligence || 23rd July 2021 || Business briefing |
London-listed Kanabo has launched the first medical cannabis vaping product in the UK in a move the company’s founder hopes will ultimately revolutionise the way medicines are administered ...
Egypt’s new tender for tobacco production: an opportunity for e-cigs?
Written by ECigIntelligence || 16th July 2021 || Business briefing |
Egypt is on the way to resolving a controversial licence scheme to produce tobacco products, which is seen by the industry as a real opportunity to start producing vaping products in the African country ...
Analysis of FDA data suggests big US vape brands will grow, as smaller ones decline
Written by ECigIntelligence || 12th July 2021 || Business briefing |
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 ...
Can e-cigs help homeless people quit smoking? UK project aims to find out
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 6th July 2021 || Business briefing |
A new UK research project for the government-funded National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is to conduct a trial looking at whether e-cigarettes could help homeless people to quit smoking ...
Spanish anti-smoking bodies press for tax on both e-liquid volume and nicotine
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 28th June 2021 || Business briefing |
Spanish anti-smoking organisations have urged the government to introduce a tax scheme for e-cigarettes as part of the new Tobacco Act that is expected to be approved by the end of 2021 ...
US investor sues Relx for not explaining risk of tightened Chinese regulations
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 16th June 2021 || Business briefing |
A Relx shareholder has filed a lawsuit in the US accusing the Chinese e-cigarette manufacturer of misinterpreting potential regulatory risk when filing for the US initial public offering (IPO) last October ...
Europe-wide survey finds great majority of vapers have managed to quit smoking
Written by ECigIntelligence || 11th June 2021 || Business briefing |
A new survey from the organisation European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) has revealed that more than eight out of ten among a sample of more than 35,000 vapers have successfully given up smoking ...
Study reveals the research flaws that make science on e-cigs hard to trust
Written by Barnaby Page || 10th June 2021 || Business briefing |
Scientific research into vaping is frequently beset by fundamental flaws that make it difficult to trust, according to a new study of prominent articles in medical journals ...
BAT optimistic about growth in tobacco alternatives in a ‘pivotal’ business year
Written by ECigIntelligence || 9th June 2021 || Business briefing |
British American Tobacco (BAT) has upgraded its annual forecast with an expectation of strong growth in new categories in post-pandemic times and a planned further rollout of its tobacco-alternatives portfolio ...
US trade commission starts judging ‘repugnant’ 2018 Altria-Juul merger
Written by ECigIntelligence || 4th June 2021 || Business briefing |
A trial started this week at the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Altria’s investment in Juul, with the government agency accusing the tobacco giant of illegally pulling out of the e-cigarette market ...
New Zealand retailers fear government plan to cut number of tobacco outlets
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 27th May 2021 || Business briefing |
A proposal by the New Zealand government to limit the number of shops that can sell tobacco products is causing concern among the country’s retailers, who would need to apply for new business licences under the scheme ...
Global flavour development trends
Written by ECigIntelligence || 27th May 2021 || Business briefing |
ECigIntelligence managing director Tim Phillips shares his insights into flavour developments and restrictions, in a presentation first seen at ENDS Europe online ...
US FDA at last publishes full PMTA list, featuring more than 6m products
Written by ECigIntelligence || 24th May 2021 || Business briefing |
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted a list of over 6m deemed new tobacco products for which it received Premarket Tobacco Product Applications (PMTAs) by the 9th September 2020 deadline ...
Imperial reaps significant benefit from its fresh approach to the vapour segment
Written by ECigIntelligence || 18th May 2021 || Business briefing |
Imperial Brands’ earnings for the first half of the year have jumped 6.1% to £15.57bn in the midst of a process to implement a new company strategy towards tobacco alternatives ...
88Vape forecasts 35% revenue increase amid product momentum
Written by ECigIntelligence || 13th May 2021 || Business briefing |
UK supplier behind low-cost e-liquid brand 88Vape expects good product performance in 2021 thanks to its recent rollout in the convenience store channel ...
Scientists and industry at odds on value of public harm reduction information
Written by ECigIntelligence || 5th May 2021 || Business briefing |
The information the public receives on tobacco harm reduction and whether it contributes to improving the role of tobacco-alternatives is a hot topic that divides the industry and the scientific community ...
EU science committee confirms doubts on cessation but steps back on ‘gateway’
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 29th April 2021 || Business briefing |
The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) has confirmed its sceptical attitude to the role of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation but softened its view on the "gateway effect" ...
Juul aims to double availability in UK vape stores with new distribution deal
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 19th April 2021 || Business briefing |
Juul Labs has reached a distribution agreement with wholesaler UK Vapour Brands (UKVB) to extend its footprint “as much as possible” across British specialist vape retailers ...
Compliance with German e-liquid tax will be ‘a big problem’, industry warns
Written by ECigIntelligence || 9th April 2021 || Business briefing |
Vaping representatives in Germany warned that the government proposal to tax nicotine-containing vaping products from next year is based on wrong assumptions and puts an excessively high burden on the sector ...
Will the suspension of e-liquid tax bring real benefits to Estonia’s vape trade?
Written by ECigIntelligence || 1st April 2021 || Business briefing |
Lawmakers and officials in Estonia are divided over the suspension of collection of tax on e-liquids, which starts today and lasts until December 2022 ...
Imperial ‘on track’ for the year with expected increase in vaping revenue
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 30th March 2021 || Business briefing |
Imperial Brands expects to deliver its yearly objectives for 2021 thanks to anticipated increased revenue from its smoke-free portfolio ...
Upheaval in China as draft e-cigarette regulations threaten massive changes
Written by ECigIntelligence || 25th March 2021 || Business briefing |
A new draft amendment to the Chinese Tobacco Monopoly Law to regulate tobacco-alternative products, including e-cigarettes, as traditional tobacco threatens big changes to the local vapour market, and has already hit share prices ...
Study points finger of blame for lung injury at phytol, not PG – in rats
Written by ECigIntelligence || 19th March 2021 || Business briefing |
It is a truth universally acknowledged that more research is required into the long-term effects of vaping various substances. Not all research, however, is equally valid or useful – and any conclusion drawn from studies on rodents must...
Debate’s unresolved as survey suggests poor info leads to false perception of risk
Written by ECigIntelligence || 17th March 2021 || Business briefing |
How much information the public receives from health authorities about tobacco harm reduction – and how much it helps – is a hot topic of discussion and division between the industry and the scientific community ...
US customs officers seize counterfeit ‘Rick and Morty’ e-liquids worth $1.5m
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 12th March 2021 || Business briefing |
A shipment from the Chinese city of Shenzhen containing more than 77,000 refillable e-liquids featuring popular US sitcom Rick and Morty have been seized by customs officials at Chicago O’Hare’s International ...
Italy to fight smuggling and illegal sales with new tax stamps for e-liquids
Written by ECigIntelligence || 8th March 2021 || Business briefing |
The Italian Customs and Monopoly Agency (ADM) is to strengthen controls against illegal marketing of vaping products with a system of tax stamps ...
US trade officials demand e-cigarette firms reveal sales and advertising data
Written by ECigIntelligence || 2nd March 2021 || Business briefing |
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has asked five leading e-cigarette manufacturers to disclose their 2019 and 2020 data on sales, advertising and promotional expenditures ...
Warning as vape stores in England are told not to reopen before mid-April
Written by ECigIntelligence || 23rd February 2021 || Business briefing |
UK prime minister Boris Johnson has announced that vape stores in England should not reopen before 12th April – while the industry continues to demand that they should be considered essential businesses ...
BAT enjoys 52% increase in vapour revenue as overall figures slip back
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 18th February 2021 || Business briefing |
British American Tobacco (BAT) has reported a "strong performance" of its e-cigarette business in 2020, with vapour revenue up more than 50% on the previous year and growth accelerating ...
FDA warning letters are the final straw for some as US businesses close
Written by ECigIntelligence || 15th February 2021 || Business briefing |
Vaping companies across the US are under pressure, with some going out of business and others saying they face a struggle to survive, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tightens the regulatory screw ...
German study finds most e-liquids lack appropriate safety instructions
Written by ECigIntelligence || 8th February 2021 || Business briefing |
Research conducted by the regional government of Baden-Württemberg in Germany has found that 86% of vaping products inspected did not fully comply with existing labelling and packaging regulations ...
Imperial to pursue a ‘more concentrated’ market approach to vaping sector
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 28th January 2021 || Business briefing |
Imperial Brands has announced a substantial change in strategy towards its vapour segment, with more focused investment in its Blu e-cigarette brand ...
Podcast: Global predictions and analysis of the e-cigarette sector for 2021
Written by ECigIntelligence || 22nd January 2021 || Business briefing , Podcasts |
Tim Phillips, ECigIntelligence’s managing director, joins Jon Bruford to discuss the key developments coming up in 2021 and the drivers that shape the market – including the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak, shifts in consumer preferences and...
Relx aims to raise $1bn in US stock sale amid concerns over regulation and tariffs
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 21st January 2021 || Business briefing |
China’s leading e-cigarette company, Relx, is hoping to raise up to $1.17bn from a US initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange ...