High-profile concerns over disposable e-cigarettes and supposedly youth-friendly product features might lead you to imagine that sweet and candy flavours dominate the UK vape market.
But in fact they account for only about 8% of all products available, according to the latest ECigIntelligence Flavour Tracker – admittedly higher than in some countries we track, but not by far.
There’s also been a noticeable drop in the presence of these flavours over the years, and perhaps surprisingly they’re less common in disposables than in the market as a whole.
Instead, fruit flavours are dominant – especially in disposables, but also accounting for almost 60% of all vape products. Indeed, fruit is more popular in the UK than in the other European countries we track (though it is strong in them too). In the UK, nearly half of those fruit-flavoured products are berry-based, and again this is more than in most markets. Tropical and exotic fruit flavours follow.
Dessert flavours are less common and have been losing ground; accounting five years ago for around 20% of available products, they now comprise less than 10%.
The presence of tobacco flavour has declined over time too, and it is now slightly less frequently found than dessert, although (like sweet and candy flavours) it was never huge. And the UK is no exception when it comes to the comparative rarity of tobacco flavour; this flavour category comprises only a small share of products in all the European countries we study, with the notable exception of Italy.
The beverage group – which includes flavours resembling alcoholic drinks, carbonated soft drinks, coffee, energy drinks, lemonades and tea – fares somewhat better although it tends to get little attention in discussion of the sector. It now accounts for around 15% of all products, following slow growth over the years.
What’s just as interesting as these relative shares, though again less often discussed, is the dominance of complex flavours. A full 80% of products on the UK market have more than one flavour, our Flavour Tracker finds, something which may point to increasingly demanding vape consumers, continued innovation by the industry, and a need to differentiate products in a crowded marketplace.
The ECigIntelligence Flavour Tracker covers seven of the largest e-cigarette markets in the world, including the UK, and provides detailed analysis of all flavour categories currently on sale. This is based on availability, rather than sales volume or value, which are likely to differ somewhat. But availability can act broadly as an indicator of the market’s shape and direction.
About ECigIntelligence
ECigIntelligence (www.ECigIntelligence.com) is the leading provider of detailed global market and regulatory analysis, legal tracking, and quantitative data for the e-cigarette, heated tobacco and combustible-alternatives sector worldwide.
We offer the necessary tools to navigate the complex market and regulatory landscape of this sector through independent, analytical and actionable data insights, in-depth country reports, regulatory trackers and legal analysis. In addition, we offer customised research and consultancy support.
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