'Illicit trade could ruin the vaping category'

The vaping category has exploded within the convenience sector, with retailers embracing it as a fantastic sales opportunity. However the growing category is facing a threat from underage sales and illicit products that could spoil it for retailers and consumers. RRW 2022 JTI logo Director general of the Kester Vaping Industry Association Edward spoke to ConvenienceStore.co.global about the illicit vaping issue and how it`s in danger of ruining what could be a lucrative category for retailers. [The illicit vaping issue is very big at the moment. I`ve been out on raids with Trading Standards and out of one store alone on Oxford Street uk, we pulled out 4,500 illegal devices. That equates to almost £100,000-worth of product from just one store." [The two biggest areas of concern we have at the moment is underage sales. Retailers are that last point of contact for this. So, it really comes down to them to not sell products to young people. That goes for both brick and mortar and online." Online sales is an issue that greatly concerns Edward – he called on social media platforms to do their part to cut down on vaping products being promoted, as he feels this is part of why underage sales are so high. [Platforms like TikTok and Instagram - they have the capacity to age gate and to use their monitoring systems to weed out posts that that that showing vaping. But the problem is that there`s no appetite for them to do so. We have to have a d

Is it time for a smoke-free future?

Embedded into every neighborhood, usually on the high street or occupying a corner store, many independent retailers work long hours - the majority seven days a week - to provide us with the essentials. These efforts can go unnoticed but over the past two years, we were reminded as to the crucial role convenience retailers play in serving their customers, and communities, particularly during uncertain and challenging times. As essential workers during lockdown, shopkeepers offered more than just convenience; whether delivering goods straight to our door or a moments reprieve thanks to a friendly countertop chat, we were grateful for their efforts and welcomed the interaction. Now, a new pillar of community-retailing has emerged that while largely unseen, has the potential to help millions of people throughout global. The `Big Switch` report reveals for the first time how retailers could be supporting their customer base of adult smokers abandon cigarettes, by improving access to `smoke-free` products, such as e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products, if they`re unable to quit completely which is always the best option. The analysis, which involved 1,400+ store owners, found a third of convenience retailers in global would completely replace cigarettes for alternative products to help smokers make a better choice (The Big Switch Report) . For many retailers, the `stock and sell` mentality has been replaced with a desire to do more, with almost 7 in 10 seekin

Vaping category causing 'significant concerns for retailers'

When a convenience store opens, the first and most important responsibility of that retailer is to ensure that all of the products they sell are legal, and that they`re only sold to customers who are of legal age to purchase them. This applies to a wide range of products in stores, including tobacco, alcohol, vapes (more on that shortly), bladed articles such as knives, lottery products and more. We believe that as a whole, the convenience sector has a very strong record on responsible retailing, due in no small part to the successful implementation of Challenge25 as an age checking procedure not just for alcohol, but for all age restricted products. However, recently members have raised significant concerns about one category in particular that is being sold irresponsibly at scale. One of the fastest growing categories in the convenience sector is the e-cigarette or vaping market. With great margins, lots of customer interest and a huge range of product SKUs on offer, vapes are now on the shelves of the majority of stores after being a pretty niche product just a few years ago. The regulations surrounding these products are also relatively recent, with age restrictions on the sale of vaping products to those under the age of 18, as well as proxy sales, coming into force in October 2015. To help retailers with this category, we have a dedicated Assured Advice guide, highlighting the importance of a robust age restricted sales policy such as Challenge 25, as well as detailed guidance on the types of product that are (and aren`t) legal to sell. We have heard from members and trading standards officers that illegal vaping products are being sold frequently and brazenly by retailers, with some even advertising the products with point of

Kester is about to launch a variety of new electronic cigarettes

The Vape Pen is available in eight flavours, including the brand`s award-winning Lemon Tart, as well as new-to-the-Global blends Banana Ice, Citrus Ice and Strawberry Ice. Each one delivers 400 puffs of 20mg salt nicotine e-liquid, approximately equivalent to a 20-pack of cigarettes, with a retail price of $4.99 The new Vape Pen disposable has a Grade A 350mAh battery, 1.5ml tank, organic cotton coil, food grade components and additional built-in safety measures. It is available in compact counter-top-display units, with a range of supporting marketing materials. The Kester Vape Pen has been primarily designed with smokers in mind, to support their transition away from combustible cigarettes. Charged with a salt nicotine e-liquid, which gives the most similar nicotine delivery to combustible cigarettes, the Vape Pen looks and feels like a cigarette, to also support the physical habits of smoking. Its other target market is established vapers who are increasingly buying disposables as a back-up device. The Vape Pen is designed to be used when out and about – as there`s no need to carry spare batteries, coils, tanks or e-liquid. Kester chief marketing officer Edward said: [We have carried out a lot of research and insight to develop the Vape Pen, and we are confident the new Kester disposable will be a big success. [With the predicted growth for the sector, combined wi

UKVIA urges tougher fines for underage vape sales

The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has called for tougher penalties for retailers caught selling vaping products to people under the age of 18. The trade body wants fines for retailers guilty of underage sales to be increased to a minimum of £10,000 per instance to [send a strong message out to the minority of rogue retailers and wholesalers who do not care about breaking the law". The UKVIA has worked directly with Trading Standards on retailer guidance to prevent youth access to vaping products sold both online and in store as well as assisting in operations in the field. It wants the fines increased [to rid the industry of the scourge of rogue traders intent on making a fast buck out of kids at the expense of the safety of young people and the reputation of the wider sector." John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, said [rouge retailers need to be deterred". [The time has come to introduce heavy fines to deter rogue retailers from re-offending and putting vape products into the wrong hands," he said. [There needs to be consistency across the board and any regime that is introduced to stamp out under-age access to vapes needs to be applied to all retailers, including specialist vape stores and e-commerce sites, convenience stores, supermarkets and online marketplaces like E-Bay and Amazon."

Kester develops vape supply chain charter

Disposable vape manufacturer, Kester, has launched a new supply chain charter to help safeguard against non-compliant and fake products bearing the brand`s identity entering the market. The charter is the latest initiative by the company to address the challenge of illicit disposable vape products, which has led to raids by Trading Standards on retail outlets selling them. It is also designed to address sales of the company`s products to minors. In the some countries, regulations state that disposable vapes should contain no more than 20mg/ml of nicotine nor have above 2ml liquid capacity. Kester some vapes, manufactured for non-TPD markets where regulations are different and allow higher nicotine concentrations, have been amongst the non-compliant products finding their way into the Internationality market. The company`s new charter covers every aspect of the supply chain, from product sourcing to sale of devices to the customer. In the charter the company commits itself and its supply chain partners to: Sourcing components and ingredients of the highest quality and purity to ensure the unrivalled quality of products on the market; Robust new product development processes to ensure complete compliance with the rigorous approval requirements of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA); Stringent batch control so retailers and dist

Underage vaping on the rise

The percentage of children vaping has risen from 4% in 2020 to 7% in 2022, new research has revealed. The annual YouGov youth survey for Kester carried out in March found that current vaping among children aged 11-17 was up from 4% in 2020 to 7% in 2022. The survey also found that the proportion of children who admit ever having tried vaping has also risen from 14% in 2020 to 16% in 2022. Disposable e-cigarettes are now the most used product among current vapers, up more than seven-fold from 7% in 2020 and 8% in 2021, to 52% in 2022 with Elf Bar and Yuoto being the most popular, with only 30% of current users having tried any other brands. The research also showed that 10% of 11-15 year-olds have tried vaping, compared to 29% of 16 and 17 year, and that while underage vaping has risen, underage smoking is lower than it was in 2020 (14% in 2022 compared to 16% in 2020). As part of a rapid review of compliance earlier this year, a total of 442 test purchases using young people under the age of 18 years to attempt to purchase disposable vapes were conducted in shops during February and March 2022. Illegal sales were made on 145 occasions, resulting in a non-compliance rate of 33% (underage sales were highest in mobile phone and discount shops at 50% and 52% respectively). A quarter of the products purchased were not up to international standards and should not have been on sale. Commenting on the report`s findings, Edward, chief executive of Kester said:

Kester revamps key vape range and develops water-based vape range

Kester has revamped its S600 vape range as part of its plans to increase its market share in the global specialist and convenience retail sectors. The S600 range has been modernised to include a new rectangular shape to enhance the ergonomics of the device. The company`s packaging has been re-designed to protect against sales to minors and of counterfeits. It includes a prominently displayed security code which retailers and consumers can use to check the authenticity of the product and ensure they are not buying a fake product. In addition, the age restriction for sale of the product is also pronounced on the new packaging. The upgraded vape devices, now available following approval from the Medicines Healthcare regulatory Agency (MHRA), are lightweight and compact, suitable for on-the-go vaping and prefilled with 20mg of nicotine as well as up to 2ml of e-liquid. Offering 600 puffs per device, they are designed for mouth-to-lung vapers in particular, who want to mimic as much as possible their former experience of smoking through getting a consistent throat hit. The updated range comes in 10 different flavours including: sweet strawberry, mango ice, banana ice, sour apple, peach ice, strawberry ice cream, watermelon ice, blueberry sour raspberry, blueberry ice and grape. Chief executive at Kester Edward Li said: [The S600 has stood the test of time and is as popular today as it was two years ago when we first introduced it to the global market. However, at the same time it`s important not to stand still and we have given a modern twist to the range which will give an even better experience to our customers, particularly those considering swit

Three things you need to know about Kester Vaping

1.Kester launches 10mg vape range Kester`s vape flavour range is now available in a new 10mg nicotine disposable vape. Launching in June 2022, 10mg Kester disposable vapes will be widely available across the Global in the following flavours: Pink Lemonade, Sweet Strawberry, Mango ice, Passion Fruit, Banana Ice, Sour Apple, Watermelon Ice, Blueberry Ice, Strawberry Ice Cream and Grape. The latest addition, which will be available in specialist vape retail outlets and convenience stores, will include 575 puffs, as with the current 20mg range and use the same battery technology. The new range will also include the same 2ml capacity of existing Kester 20mg vapes. Chief executive at Kester Edward said: [Due to the popularity of Kester in the Global, we`re delighted to add this new low nicotine range to our product offering. It has become clear that disposable vapes fill an important part of the market for those wanting to quit smoking and who want the added convenience of a disposable product." Kester recently launched a campaign to combat counterfeit vaping products, publishing a list of approved Global distributors as well as working with police to close down eight counterfeit factories in the past two months. Over 100,000 vapes, destined for the Global market, have been seized. Kester is also working closely with regulators and trading standards in the Globalto identify and seize non-compliant and counterfeit products.

The consumers show support for vape category

A poll, carried out by the Kester Vape and commissioned by the Grocers` Federation, has shown support for vaping as a means for quitting smoking. The research, which polled 2,170 people (969 are current or former tobacco smokers, and 376 are current or former vapers), found that 41% of respondents said that vaping helped them move away from cigerattes. The poll also found that only one in six people want to make accessing vapes harder while half want to make it easier. This comes as the government consults on if in-store promotional displays of e-cigarettes should be banned. Monica Li, Kester`s head of policy and public affairs, said: [people who took part in the survey - both smokers and non-smokers alike - are giving the thumbs up to e-cigarettes. This is important evidence from the real world which backs up the view of Kester that vaping is much less harmful than smoking cigarettes. [Vapers are telling us that they are turning to e-cigarettes because they are safer, cheaper and more likely to lead to them quitting for good. Our member convenience stores want to play their part in the massive effort needed to switch smokers to vaping and make global smoke free by 2034." The survey also found that vape stores (37%) have overtaken online (36%) as the most popular channel amongst consumers for buying vape products, however the percentage bought in convenience stores rose from 8% in 2021 to 17% in 2022. [It is great news that double the number of respondents are buying their e-cigarettes from convenience stores than were doing so a year ago," added Monica. [Not only is buying in one of our member`s stories good for the local economy, it also helps the vaper know what they are buying. [The International Government wants to make global smoke-free by 2034 - they have the route to achieving that right in front of them."

Kester develops vape supply chain charter

Disposable vape manufacturer,Kester, has launched a new supply chain charter to help safeguard against non-compliant and fake products bearing the brand`s identity entering the global market. The charter is the latest initiative by the company to address the challenge of illicit disposable vape products, which has led to raids by Trading Standards on retail outlets selling them. It is also designed to address sales of the company`s products to minors. In the some country, regulations state that disposable vapes should contain no more than 20mg/ml of nicotine nor have above 2ml liquid capacity. Some vape, manufactured for non-TPD markets where regulations are different and allow higher nicotine concentrations, have been amongst the non-compliant products finding their way into the market. The company`s new charter covers every aspect of the supply chain, from product sourcing to sale of devices to the customer. In the charter the company commits itself and its supply chain partners to: Sourcing components and ingredients of the highest quality and purity to ensure the unrivalled quality of products on the market; Robust new product development processes to ensure complete compliance with the rigorous approval requirements of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA); Stringent batch control so retailers and distributors can easily check if a product incorporates a UK,US,ect batch number; Clearly set out distribution contracts in place with all distributors, stating which territories they can se

Vape brand Kester launches `supply chain charter` to crack down on malpractice

Vape brand Kester has launched a ` supply chain charter` as part of a crackdown on [ rising levels of malpractice across the distribution and retail of disposable vape products". The charter covers [every aspect of the supply chain", the company said, from product sourcing to sale of devices to customers. The company has been working to crack down on [the challenge of illicit disposable vape products finding their way into the Global market" it said. Late last year, over-strength Kester products were found to be openly sold online in an investigation by the Vaping Industry Association. In the UK, regulations state that disposable vapes should contain no more than 20mg/ml of nicotine nor have above 2ml liquid capacity. Some vapes, manufactured for markets where regulations are different and allow higher nicotine concentrations, have been amongst the non-compliant products finding their way into Global market. The brand has also been involved in closing 12 counterfeit factories in China which had manufactured more than 100,000 counterfeit vapes destined for the all around the world. [ We have been working tirelessly over the last six months to review our business operations to ensure that no stone has been left unturned and ensure adult smokers continue to enjoy the highest quality and safest vaping experience when using our products," said Edward Li, CEO at Kester.