We’re addressing the most critical questions shaping the future of the vaping sector
Will Europe ban disposable e-cigarettes?
Some countries have already set bans in motion – how fast will they, and others, come into force? Will bans continue to take place at the individual country level, or is an EU-wide ban a possibility? How will consumers, brands and retailers respond? How effective will enforcement be? Is an illicit market likely? Will bans on disposables ease concerns about youth access to vaping and about vape products’ environmental impacts? Will they be a positive step for the industry’s reputation, or will they just open the door to even tighter restrictions on other types of products as well?
How are e-cigarette product features changing?
Are vape product features changing too fast to keep up? What features are changing most rapidly, and why? What major changes can we expect soon? In which markets are these changes taking place? How will regulatory restrictions on vape products affect future developments in product design and features?
Is the illicit vape market affecting your sales?
How big is the illicit vape market, and to what extent does it impact the legitimate market? How does this differ among countries? What factors contribute to creating an illicit market? How do we define and measure “illicit” products? Can enforcement ever be 100% effective?
What’s next for flavours?
Which flavours are most common in each product category and in different markets, and how is this changing? How big a factor are flavours in consumer product choice? How do consumers respond to flavour bans? Are flavour bans likely in more jurisdictions? How likely are such bans to be effective? Could rules on flavour descriptions – rather than bans on flavours themselves – be a way forward that satisfies regulators, consumers and the industry?
How will the next version of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) affect your business in Europe?
What are the current political and regulatory debates around the TPD? What are the key areas where new regulation is likely? Is the overall shift likely to be negative, positive or neutral? Does the political composition of the new European Parliament make a difference? To what extent will any new TPD restrictions in the EU be copied and applied in other areas of the world? Will non-EU European countries like the UK continue to follow a TPD model?
How will EU environmental regulations impact your business next year?
Will new rules on important product elements such as single-use plastics, removable batteries and recyclable packaging affect your manufacturing processes? What implications will they have for business issues like pricing and marketing? Will polluter-pays obligations apply to your business? Will hardware recycling schemes get off the ground?