‘Business as usual’

Despite the prospect of the disposables ban in April next year, it’s ‘business as usual’ says Imperial Brands’ Consumer Marketing Director Yawer Rasool.

All retailers in Scotland will be well aware by now that disposable vaping products will be banned as of 1 April 2025, but for now it’s very much “business as usual” according to Yawer Rasool, Consumer Marketing Director UK & Ireland at Imperial Brands.

“While the disposable vapes ban announcement may have brought concern for many retailers in Scotland, it’s important to note that if the draft regulations pass through parliament, the ban is not set to come into force until 1 April 2025, which means that it’s business as usual for now,” he says.

“Despite the announcement, it’s unlikely that the demand for disposable vapes will slow down any time soon, so we recommend that retailers continue to stock a wide range of leading disposables in order to cater to this trend and in turn, maximise sales.”

Best bar none

To help retailers make the most of the time that remains, Imperial Brands has recently launched a new and improved blu bar 1000 device.

Rasool explains: “Our new device will help retailers tap into the continued consumer demand. The blu bar 1000 benefits from an array of product upgrades and new features, providing the perfect solution to help retailers grow their vape sales even further in 2024.”

Available with an RSP of £5.99, the fully compliant blu bar 1000 range offers up to 1,000 puffs per device and features blu Flavour Tech mesh coil technology to deliver strong bursts of flavour that really last.

The redesigned casing on blu bar 1000 also means that the liquid level is visible through the translucent mouthpiece, making it much easier to see when the liquid is running low.

“With a new removable battery, users can now twist, pop and release it, making it easy to safely dispose of the used battery at a local battery collection point,” comments Rasool. “While a new security lock feature allows users to lock their blu bar 1000 device when not in use.”

The blu bar 1000 has initially launched in eight flavours, including Blueberry Ice, Strawberry Ice, Watermelon Ice, Banana Ice, Mint, Grape, Tropical Mix and Blueberry Cherry, with more due to launch in future.

Growing opportunity

Vaping continues to gather pace in Scotland and across the UK as more consumers seek out alternative nicotine solutions. The vaping sector is expected to grow from 36% of the total adult nicotine users market in 2019 to over 45% by the end of this year [ECigIntelligence 2022].

“We forecast that the category value across the UK is expected to almost triple from £930m in 2019 to be worth almost £3bn in 2025,” says Rasool. “With around 35% of current vape volume sales already taking place in the traditional retail channel [ECigIntelligence 2022], it’s clear that there will be continued demand from consumers for vaping products throughout 2024. To tap into this rising trend, retailers need to ensure they are dedicating sufficient space in store for vaping products and stocking the right range for their customer base.”

Disposable heroes

Despite being on course for a complete ban, disposables remain the biggest sub-category, accounting for a huge 88% of all vape sales, estimates Rasool. “We estimate that the disposables market saw a remarkable increase from £141m in 2021 to £973m in 2022.”

The future is, however, likely to see the return to popularity of both closed pod systems and open systems. “These systems account for around 17% of the UK vaping market”, says Rasool, and urges retailers to stock a range of leading pod systems, including his own company’s blu 2.0 device.

“Retailers should ensure they review their range regularly and prioritise stocking the brands that cater to these fast-moving trends in order to remain current and maximise sales,” he concludes.