What has changed since the implementation of the new rules? Reporters visited a number of stores found - - electronic cigarette market sentiment cooling
The regulation, which came into force on May 1, bans the sale of flavored e-cigarettes other than tobacco and the sale of e-cigarette products to minors to further standardize the development of the e-cigarette industry.
The novelty of e-cigarettes has always been an important selling point. How has the e-cigarette market changed since the new regulations came into effect? Yesterday, the reporter visited several e-cigarette stores in Beijing, found that many store operators are still selling flavored e-cigarettes, but the mood of the market has cooled significantly, and many retail stores are busy discounts to clear inventory, hoping to make a last profit before the "change of business".
Flavored e-cigarettes are still on sale
"Any more mung bean flavor?" "The third generation is out of stock at the moment, the first generation and the fifth generation."
Yesterday morning, the reporter came to chongwenmen new world yue Carved store, see the counter is still put a full of beautiful things in the eyes of flavored e-cigarette bombs, such as "enthusiastic guava" "Coke wild wind" "modest peach tea" and other flavors. Flavored e-cigarette shells make up more than 99 percent of the store's shelf space, compared with tobacco-flavored ones.
According to Article 26 of the Measures for the Administration of e-cigarettes, the sale of flavored e-cigarettes other than tobacco flavor and e-cigarettes with self-added aerosol is prohibited. Why are flavored e-cigarette bombs still being sold in specialty stores after the new rules? "We are not allowed to produce flavored e-cigarettes after May 1," said Mr. Hu, a shop assistant. "Now we are selling flavored e-cigarettes in stock, which will last until September at most."
In Soxiu City, Chongwenmen, an individual shop owner surnamed Sha, who has a collection of e-cigarette brands including Yue Ke, YOOZ, Fu Lu and Xuega, said, "We didn't say that we won't sell them after May 1, just that we won't produce them."
Journalists have noticed that on April 13, an official of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration said that the transitional period of five months was set to end on September 30, considering that it takes a long time to issue and implement the Regulations on the Management of E-cigarettes and the national standards on e-cigarettes as well as supporting policies.
Consumers have been stocking up
"My YOOZ mung bean flavor is really gone, you can't believe it, even the counter samples have been bought." Pointing to a hole in the display rack, Sha said that the flavored e-cigarette shells currently on the market are all in stock, and many consumers have been stockpiling them recently.
Alarmingly, some e-cigarette store owners have plans to take the flavored e-cigarette bomb trade underground. "I'm not saying there won't be any after September 30, but I certainly won't be putting it on the counter, only to regular customers." Owner Hu Xiansheng told reporters that if you are interested in the future, you can add wechat contact.
"In March, I also followed the trend of hoarding more than a dozen boxes, now I think there is no need, if there is no stock, I will not smoke, as the country to help me forcibly quit smoking." Xinxin, 29, is an e-cigarette enthusiast. She has never smoked cigarettes before and consumes one cartridge every two days, the equivalent of three packs of cigarettes. "I was surprised to hear that flavored cigarettes were banned at first, but many of them have a shelf life of only one year. Even if YOU smoke one pack a week, you can only store up 48 boxes at most. Just give up."
There is also speculation among e-cigarette smokers that e-cigarette manufacturers will try their best to develop "easy to smoke" flavors within the new regulations.
To this, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration officials said that given the fruit, food, beverage and other seasonings electronic cigarettes and no nicotine electronic cigarettes to minors has strong appeal, easy to induce minors smoking, standard specified should not make the product characteristic flavor presents other than tobacco flavor, and clear requirements "atomization content should contain nicotine", That is, e-cigarette products that do not contain nicotine are not allowed to enter the market.
Store bulk discount inventory clearance
In the interview, the reporter found that many e-cigarette shop owners are encouraging consumers to stock up in large quantities, but the market price of flavored e-cigarettes has been falling compared with March, and even sold at a batch discount, indicating a significant cooling of market sentiment.
"The price once soared to 120 yuan per box, but now it has dropped to 99 yuan per box except for two flavors: 'Cool Mint' and 'Cold bubble Longjing'." If you buy in bulk, the price can be reduced to 888 yuan for 10 boxes and 1,688 yuan for 20 boxes, Hu said.
At present, a large number of e-cigarette stores are also concerned about the qualification of the market. According to the Measures for the Administration of electronic cigarettes, those who engage in the retail business of electronic cigarettes shall apply to the department of tobacco monopoly administration for the license of tobacco monopoly retail or change the license scope. At the same time, enterprises or individuals with tobacco monopoly retail license and qualifications for e-cigarette retail business shall not exclusively deal in e-cigarette products on the market.
"For us, qualification is not an issue. There are many channels for us to apply for a tobacco monopoly retail license. The bottom line is, who will smoke e-cigarettes if they only taste like tobacco?" Mr Sha said tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes did not sell well, with fewer than 10 sold in the two years since he opened his shop. "My income will be greatly affected in the future. Many personal agents around me are leaving the store. I also plan to change industries in advance after clearing inventory at a low price."
In the short term, the regulation will lead to a decline in both e-cigarette store sales and the country's total shipments, industry insiders said. But in the long run, the new regulations will put an end to the long period of wild growth in the e-cigarette industry and make it healthier and more rational.