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.
Choops distances itself from Dali design after legal threat over logo
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 18th April 2017 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
The Californian company behind the e-liquid brand Choops Liquids has changed the logo on its packaging after protests from the owner of the famous Spanish lollipop brand Chupa...
Vape chain avails itself of CDC data to expand beyond 100 U.S. stores
Written by Daniel Mollenkamp || 18th April 2017 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
A company that claims to be America’s premium vape retailer is using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify the most profitable locations for its...
PMI sinks €300m in converting Greek cigarette plant to iQOS sticks
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 12th April 2017 || Business briefing |
Philip Morris International is to convert its largest tobacco factory in Greece to manufacture iQOS heat sticks....
Is Apple going into the vaping business? Don’t you believe it!
Written by Daniel Mollenkamp || 6th April 2017 || Business briefing |
Speculation, based on an ambiguous patent application, that tech giant Apple is preparing to enter the vaping sector appears to be a total...
Land of opportunity – but price and low web access hold Zimbabwe back
Written by ECigIntelligence || 6th April 2017 || Business briefing |
With limited internet access and low awareness, Zimbabwe's nascent e-cig market is largely limited to the capital, Harare, but expansion is slowly...
Frisco believes the future of synthetic nicotine could be a matter of taste
Written by Freddie Dawson || 6th April 2017 || Business briefing |
An American e-liquid company is looking to synthetic nicotine to improve flavour profiles but will have to convince consumers and retailers that the higher price-tag is worth...
PMI’s iQOS enters FDA process, edging closer to U.S. launch
Written by Daniel Mollenkamp || 3rd April 2017 || Business briefing |
Philip Morris International (PMI) has submitted its iQOS heat-not-burn system for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration...
U.S. sales survey shows slowing growth, while combustibles decline
Written by Daniel Mollenkamp || 27th March 2017 || Business briefing |
Sales of e-cigarettes in the U.S. grew between 2011 and 2015 – but the rate of growth slowed over the course of that period, even going into reverse at...
BAT scores a hit with Debrett’s guidance on the etiquette of vaping
Written by Freddie Dawson || 27th March 2017 || Business briefing |
BAT caught the attention of the British and international press by commissioning a vaping etiquette guide from...
French vapers feel uncomfortable about using their e-cigs in public
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 23rd March 2017 || Business briefing |
Almost half of French e-cigarette users are reluctant to vape in public spaces, even where it is permitted – and even though a majority consider e-cigarettes more socially acceptable than smoking....
UK APPG roundtable talks will take place under new secretariat
Written by Freddie Dawson || 23rd March 2017 || Business briefing |
The UK All Party Parliamentary Group for e-cigs will meet at the end of March 2017 for a roundtable. It switched its secretariat service provider in October 2016....
Novice’s guide gives industry newcomers the lowdown on e-cigs
Written by ECigIntelligence || 21st March 2017 || Business briefing |
The latest e-learning tutorial from ECigIntelligence is aimed at newcomers to the e-cigarette industry, covering everything from how e-cigs work to the legal and health issues surrounding...
Vape House Marrakech hopes to cash in on European tourist trade
Written by Freddie Dawson || 21st March 2017 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
Vape House, a European vape store chain, will open its first branch in Africa when it unveils a Marrakech store later this year, hoping to trade on European tourists avoiding TPD...
Electronic Cigarettes International Group files for bankruptcy
Written by Freddie Dawson || 18th March 2017 || Business briefing |
Electronic Cigarettes International Group (ECIG) has filed for bankruptcy, following shortly after its UK operation entered administrative...
‘Cool and satisfying’ – studies reveal the real reasons why people vape
Written by Daniel Mollenkamp || 13th March 2017 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
The “social image” of vaping may have overtaken smoking cessation as the most popular reason for using e-cigarettes – which many find more satisfying than smoking. Those are the striking conclusions of two recent studies of the perception...
VIP put in administration, placing parent firm ECIG’s future in doubt
Written by Freddie Dawson || 9th March 2017 || Business briefing |
British brand VIP has been placed in administration, casting doubt over the future financial situation of its American parent company, Electronic Cigarettes International Group....
Drug policy reformer Nadelmann to address Global Forum on Nicotine
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 6th March 2017 || Business briefing |
Ethan Nadelmann, widely regarded as the outstanding U.S. proponent of drug policy reform around the world, is to share his views on the links between policy and harm reduction at this summer’s Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN)....
French e-cig retailer is Europe’s second fastest-growing company
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 6th March 2017 || Business briefing |
French retailer Le Petit Vapoteur has taken second place in a list of Europe's 5000 fastest-growing private companies, demonstrating the potential for spectacular success in a market threatened by newly imposed...
NJOY enjoys a fresh start with $35m equity capital injection
Written by Freddie Dawson || 1st March 2017 || Business briefing |
NJOY, one of the best-known U.S. e-cig makers, has emerged successfully from last year's bankruptcy with a $35m injection of new equity capital....
Altria ready to put millions behind digital U.S. launch of iQOS
Written by ECigIntelligence || 27th February 2017 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
Altria is set to take a digital approach to launching its iQOS heat-not-burn product in the U.S. but there will be significant costs along the way....
Pioneering U.S. manufacturer ProVape blames FDA for closure
Written by ECigIntelligence || 20th February 2017 || Business briefing |
ProVape has announced its decision to close down, citing the upcoming high cost of compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) e-cigarette regulations....
Asia Pacific warms to heat-not-burn, but it’s not an easy road
Written by Freddie Dawson || 20th February 2017 || Business briefing |
Japan Tobacco and Philip Morris International are attempting to widen their distribution of heat-not-burn (HnB) products throughout Pacific Asia, but there have been problems along the way....
China buys cheap, but higher prices bring higher returns
Written by ECigIntelligence || 10th February 2017 || Business briefing |
The most popular e-liquid products in China appear to be the cheapest ones, according to a new ECigIntelligence analysis of online pricing in the Chinese...
Kentucky doubts: 64% believe e-cigs are no safer than smoking tobacco
Written by Freddie Dawson || 6th February 2017 || Business briefing |
A survey undertaken in the U.S. state of Kentucky will do nothing to cheer the e-cigarette industry, or public health professionals concerned at the cumulative effect of a long series of negative...
Global Horizon joint venture could open up Chinese market to e-cigs
Written by Freddie Dawson || 31st January 2017 || Business briefing |
A new UK-Chinese joint venture could bring Blu to the Chinese domestic market. But are the pricing conditions favourable for such a move?...
BAT to buy out Reynolds in $49bn deal, creating global titan
Written by Barnaby Page || 17th January 2017 || Business briefing |
British American Tobacco (BAT) is to take over Reynolds American, the number two U.S. tobacco company, paying $49bn for the 58% it does not already...
Opinion: Pokémon Go promotion is no lure to catch innocent children
Written by Freddie Dawson || 12th January 2017 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
Opinion: Vape shops aren't using Pokemon Go to lure kids in for a trial in nicotine. But they should be a bit more self-aware when planning promotions....
Leading U.S. websites stay in front despite slowing of traffic
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 12th January 2017 || Business briefing |
Convenience and lower prices make the internet one of the most important distribution channels for e-cigarettes in the U.S., according to a new ECigIntelligence market...
Turn up contrast for better e-cig advertising, research suggests
Written by Freddie Dawson || 12th January 2017 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
Advertisements which highlight the differences between e-cigarettes and tobacco may be more effective at promoting e-cigs than those which play up their similarities, a new study suggests....
BAT to end involvement with Voke, returning rights to Kind Consumer
Written by Freddie Dawson || 11th January 2017 || Business briefing |
British American Tobacco has ceased its involvement in the commercialisation of the medically licensed Voke nicotine inhaler....
Countering the counterfeiters as online sales provide market for fakes
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 6th January 2017 || Business briefing |
E-cigarette manufacturers are keeping their eyes open for fakes as the popularity of online marketing makes them a prime target for...
Manufacturer claims synthetic nicotine producers are using tobacco
Written by Freddie Dawson || 29th December 2016 || Business briefing |
A manufacturer has developed a new synthetic nicotine test that it says shows concerns about a number of rival products....
PMI makes progress with big plans for reduced-risk portfolio
Written by Freddie Dawson || 22nd December 2016 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
Philip Morris International has expressed optimism about the entire reduced-risk products sector as it launches a new trial of its Mesh closed-system e-cigarette in the UK city of Birmingham....
Study calls for smokers to be moved toward e-cigs and smokeless tobacco
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 17th December 2016 || Business briefing |
A new study claims there is no evidence that nicotine “causes or promotes” cancer and calls for health authorities to try and move smokers towards less harmful nicotine delivery products as quickly as...
Offline sales lead the way in Russia, but online market is growing
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 17th December 2016 || Business briefing |
Online and offline channels are of almost equal importance in generating sales for the e-cigarette market in Russia, the latest ECigIntelligence market report has found....
Vaping products under new classification in Belgium
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 8th December 2016 || Business briefing |
A few months after being suspended, a Royal Decree published on 28th October 2016 has finally transposed the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) – but with a very important change in the classification of vaping products in Belgium....
U.S. vape store customers appreciate expertise of retail staff
Written by Freddie Dawson || 7th December 2016 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
U.S. vape shop customers prefer to use tank-devices with flavours other than tobacco, and choose to buy these products from specialists because of their expertise and knowledge, according to a new...
TPD test requirements criticised as vague: what can manufacturers do?
Written by ECigIntelligence || 7th December 2016 || Business briefing |
The wording of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is imprecise and confusing on the question of notifiable toxicology requirements, two UK scientists...
London launch of iQOS is another step towards a smokeless future
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 6th December 2016 || Business briefing |
Philip Morris International (PMI) this week launched its heated tobacco device iQOS in the UK, claiming: “We certainly see a future where Philip Morris no longer will be selling...
Next-gen chic: London and Milan stores for iQOS and Pebble
Written by Freddie Dawson || 5th December 2016 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
British American Tobacco (BAT) has announced the opening of a retail store in Milan, Italy as part of the launch of its Vype Pebble e-cigarette. It follows closely on from Philip Morris International (PMI) opening a store in...
French users better served for stores than vapers in U.S. or UK
Written by ECigIntelligence || 29th November 2016 || Business briefing |
A new report from ECigIntelligence shows France is ahead of its rivals in terms of access to bricks-and-mortar vape stores....
Enthusiast users are mostly satisfied with their e-cigs, survey finds
Written by David Palacios Rubio || 28th November 2016 || Business briefing |
The most advanced vapers in both Europe and the U.S. tend to prefer lower nicotine strength in their e-liquid, according to a recent ECigIntelligence survey of hobbyist-type...
Crutches for the weak or gadgets for the lads? Diverse UK views on e-cigs
Written by Barnaby Page || 25th November 2016 || Business briefing |
The willingness of smokers to adopt e-cigarettes may depend partly on their moral perceptions of addiction, weakness and personal strength, a new British study...
E-cig retailer VaporBeast acquired by tobacco company in $27m deal
Written by Freddie Dawson || 24th November 2016 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
American e-cigarette retailer VaporBeast has been bought by a tobacco products company Turning Point Brands for around $27m...
ECIG reports growth in sales following recapitalisation
Written by Freddie Dawson || 24th November 2016 || Business briefing |
Electronic Cigarettes International Group (ECIGs) has announced third quarter financial results....
Can vaping help in the battle against obesity and hypertension?
Written by Marc Beishon || 22nd November 2016 || Business briefing |
Medical research has begun to reveal how e-cigarettes could help to prevent or lessen the potentially dangerous weight gain experienced by many people when they give up...
Consortium’s $30m buyout of bankrupt NJOY approved by court
Written by Freddie Dawson || 18th November 2016 || Business briefing |
A buyer has been found for bankrupt NJOY after a court-approved auction process....
Reynolds expands U.S. distribution of Vuse Vibe tank system
Written by Freddie Dawson || 17th November 2016 || Business briefing , Marketing & retailing |
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. has expanded U.S. distribution of its Vuse Vibe pre-filled tank system to more than 25,000 retail...