According to the BBC, on November 30, ELFBAR and LOST MARY, well-known e-cigarette brands in the British market, announced that they would give up e-cigarettes that attract minors with dessert and soft drink flavors, and called for the introduction of a licensing system similar to cigarettes and alcohol.
ELFBAR and LOST MARY account for more than half of single-use e-cigarette sales in the UK, according to data company Nielsen IQ, and both brands are part of Love Wonder.
The UK government’s public consultation on new regulations for e-cigarettes ends on December 6.
ELFBAR has discontinued vaping in flavors like bubble gum, marshmallow and Skittles, and more flavors are coming soon. Although the name “Gummy bears” has been changed to “gummy candies”, it will soon be removed from the shelves.
Although it will take a while for these changes to filter through the supply chain, they claim that they will soon be seen on the shelves. They are also seeking tighter restrictions on e-cigarette sales, including a license for retailers that would require e-cigarettes to be displayed behind counters.
Introducing such a system would reduce minors’ access to e-cigarettes and make it easier for authorities to better regulate the sale of e-cigarette devices. In addition, we believe this will help combat the growing illegal e-cigarette market and increase e-cigarette recycling rates, “an ELFBAR spokesperson said.
British American Tobacco (BAT) has also expressed support for the introduction of a licensing system. However, ELFBAR expressed opposition to the introduction of a new tobacco-like tax, arguing that the new tax could encourage former smokers to switch to illegal e-cigarettes, or start smoking cigarettes again.
On the other hand, Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of anti-smoking charity ASH, said the tax increase on e-cigarettes was important to control the illegal market and would lead to greater control of products at the border.
According to a survey this year, ASH found that 50% of 11 – to 17-year-olds who had tried e-cigarettes had used ELFBAR and 25% had tried LOST MARY. SKE, the UK’s second largest e-cigarette seller, did not respond to a request for comment.
Many parliaments have called for a total ban on the use of single-use e-cigarettes because they attract minors, cause pollution to the environment and pose a fire risk.
According to Nielsen IQ, ELFBAR and LOST MARY sold more than £900 million worth of e-cigarettes in a 12-month period, with an average of more than 160 million units sold. However, these figures only account for half of the e-cigarette market, and many tobacco shops, online retailers and convenience stores are not included, so the actual number could be twice that.
A public consultation on the regulation of e-cigarettes ends on December 6, followed by laws expected to be introduced in England, Scotland and Wales as soon as possible.