The two-day Vapexpo Spain 2023 Spanish electronic cigarette exhibition has come to an end. Based on the performance during the exhibition, the development prospects of disposable electronic cigarette products have been questioned, and the category of cartridge-changing electronic cigarettes is favored by many industry insiders.
According to the information of the organizer, there are 121 exhibitors in this exhibition, and the displayed products include open vapes, closed vapes, disposable electronic cigarettes and e-liquids. It is worth noting that nearly half of the exhibitors are from China, including more than 50 internationally renowned e-cigarette brands such as MOTI, ANYX, SMOK, UWELL, ELFBAR, and WAKA.
In response to regulation, zero nicotine products are popular
The- Expo in Madrid, Spain is obviously different from the previous E-cigarette exhibitions in that the organizers of the exhibition require that all exhibited products be nicotine-free.
With regard to zero-nicotine products in the Spanish market, there are no policy restrictions on them, which allows such products to enter the market smoothly. Therefore, many brands will sell zero-nicotine products before the products have passed the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) certification. In addition, consumers are also willing to purchase zero-nicotine products for various reasons such as health concerns.
But there are big differences between nicotine-containing and nicotine-free devices. In order to maintain customer loyalty, many brands will still launch nicotine-containing products in the future.
The bomb-changing electronic cigarette track is heating up, or it will become a future trend
The author interviewed a number of e-cigarette manufacturers at the E-cigarette Expo in Madrid, Spain. Many brands said that the development of disposable e-cigarettes is about to usher in a turning point, and bomb-changing e-cigarettes may become the “beneficiaries” of this turning point. “.
Pablo, head of the Western European market for the e-cigarette brand ANYX, said that the popularity of disposable e-cigarette products in Spain is declining, and the market is turning to pod-changing products.
During my visits to retail stores in Spain, I found many shopkeepers who felt the same way. Many users who have used open systems in the past are turning to reloadable products because of the better portability and lower barriers to entry. Some vapers say that most people who start using disposable e-cigarettes end up switching to refills because of their high cost and fewer puffs compared to refills and open systems.
As a representative of disposable e-cigarettes, ELFBAR also launched the cartridge-type e-cigarette ELFA at the Vape Expo in Madrid, Spain, which seems to confirm the expectations of industry insiders for categories other than disposable e-cigarettes, and also confirms the future of Europe market trends.
However, the development trend of e-cigarettes in Spain still needs to be answered by the market. Market demand and consumer choice will ultimately determine the prospects of reloading e-cigarettes in Spain.
Uncertainty in policy regulation
Small and medium e-cigarette brands are facing multiple challenges in the Spanish market, including difficulties in promotion and urban planning restrictions. But the biggest problem still comes from the uncertainty of policy regulation.
It is reported that the Spanish government may include e-cigarettes in the tobacco regulatory system after 2023 and impose taxes on e-cigarettes, which will have a certain impact on the country’s e-cigarette industry.
On April 14, Spain introduced a royal decree to regulate the manufacture, display and marketing of tobacco and related products, which includes: clear classification of emerging tobacco products and tobacco-related products; adoption of neutral packaging, traceability and safety measures; banning certain additives and ingredients that may be more attractive to consumers. However, it is currently in the public consultation stage and still awaits the final decision of the government.
Although there are still uncertainties in Spain’s e-cigarette regulatory policy, most exhibitors remain optimistic. They said that it is unlikely that e-cigarettes will be included in the tobacco system. Spain had previously proposed a similar bill, but due to reasons such as political party changes, the proposal was not passed.
Post time: Jun-09-2023
