Vape bosses give stores simple menthol ban advice

Vape Business gets some essential last-minute advice from the biggest names in the industry

1. Make sure you are clued up

Kate O’Dowd – head of field force, Philip Morris International

Retailers should ensure they understand the alternatives to cater for the majority of menthol smokers looking for a new tobacco or nicotine alternative. This, crucially, will open up a stream of new profit opportunities.

2. Stock products across the category

Nick Geens – head of Logic & reduced risk products, JTI

Retailers should stock a wide range of e-liquids that cater to different types of vaping customers who may come into their store. This includes pod, capsule, and refillable devices, as well as the accompanying e-liquids.

3. Focus on refills

John Patterson – sales director, Juul Labs

Starter Kits and devices will be one-off or infrequent purchases, while smokers who have moved away from cigarettes will regularly replenish refills and will expect to buy these in the same stores as they previously bought cigarettes.

4. A choice of flavours is vital

Duncan Cunningham – corporate affairs director, BLU & Imperial

Retailers should consider stocking a broad range of flavours and strengths. Market insights have shown that adult smokers need to experience different flavours before moving from tobacco to vaping permanently.

5. Focus on smokers to grow vape sales

Fredrik Svensson – general manager, British American Tobacco

Encouragingly, less than 1% of people who have never smoked currently vape. Public bodies such as PHE, Cancer Research UK and the Royal College of Physicians have endorsed vaping as a less harmful alternative to tobacco.