'Sales dip' according to industry organisation
The market for e-cigarettes is now shaking all over the world. After the deaths and the new regulations in the US, it is clearly noticeable, even in Sweden.
"The image of e-cigarettes among the general public seems to have clearly shifted and more people believe that e-cigarettes are associated with serious hidden dangers," Niklas Linder, a small business owner involved in the industry organisation for electronic cigarettes, BELC, told Vejpkollen.
From bad to worse
After more than 1,000 people fell ill, and some 20 died from the lung disease caused by contaminated air. marijuana juice in the US, it affects trade in regular e-cigarettes across the world. Some states and countries have banned flavoured e-juice, or e-cigs altogether. But the decline is also due to changes in public perception of e-cigarettes and vejping. From bad to worse.
"Even if the lung diseases are not due to the use of conventional and regulated e-juice, and even though the authorities are urging users not to start smoking again, the damage is already done. Especially when it comes to public perception of e-cigarettes." says Barnaby Page, editor of the ECigIntelligence, an independent research company focusing on alternatives to tobacco products, to the international online magazine Vaping Post
According to the report, the local market in the US will see a significant drop in sales and growth. decrease by 13 per cent. The global market would grow by 14 per cent during the next year. But now ECigIntelligence expects that a year with no global growth at all.
Sales of e-cigs are falling
Businesses in Europe and Sweden are also feeling the effects of the US panic. Niklas Linder driver vejpshoppen Swedish Mixology and also works with the industry organisation BELC.
"In the trade organisation, we have had conversations with shoppers both in Sweden and in the rest of the EU and the decline has been significant. Monthly sales have dipped and the proportion of smokers who choose to switch to e-cigarettes has dropped," says Mr Snyder. Niklas Linder to Vejpkollen.
E-cigarettes heavily regulated in Sweden
E-cigarettes and vejp products are strictly regulated in Sweden and Europe. Nicotine is heavily taxed in Sweden and companies must register their products six months before selling them. However, marketing is also heavily restricted and companies are not allowed to advertise in either traditional or social media. The advertising produced is directed exclusively to customers who already use e-cigarettes and not to the general public. That is, not: to current smokers. The Marketing Act does not allow companies to emphasise the health benefits of one 'tobacco product' over another. This makes new customers difficult to reach, says Mr LInder. Something that is noticeable when the market fails.
"Since the THC scandal began to gain momentum in the media towards the end of the summer, we have noticed a sharp and noticeable decline. Mainly in the lack of new customers. And we have received many questions from worried customers who have begun to get the idea that regular tobacco smoking may be the better alternative in terms of health." says Niklas Linder.
"The media is very much to blame"
For Niklas Sandinwho runs one of Sweden's largest vejp shops, Esmokeswith several physical stores, the situation is similar.
"This affects us a lot. Not so much in the physical stores, probably because we have given the staff all the facts that could explain what happened to the customers in a good way. It's more difficult online, where we can really only reach out to our customers through newsletters and social channels." says Niklas Sandin.
And Niklas Sandin does not mince words when asked how things got so bad.
"Biggest debt, in addition to the idiots who sold the THC mix.I want to give to the media. The media all over the world, and also in Sweden, concealed for weeks the fact that the dead and ill vejpat illegal THC substances. Just today I read in the News Direct if "26 reported E-cigarette deaths"who stated in the article that there is no explanation for the diseases, even though there is one. Jesus Christ. Cursed is just the first name.
"Not a good review"
Swedish Mixology's Niklas Linder hopes that the situation is temporary. But he is also critical of the way the reporting of the lung diseases and deaths has been handled by the mainstream media.
"As a rule, Swedes have very good international knowledge and absorb a lot of information from foreign media, but beyond that, the Swedish media is prone to more or less copy foreign articles, without proper scrutiny when it comes to controversial topics, as vejping does" says Niklas Linder.
Vejpkollen has searched for other companies in the vejp sector in Sweden and will update this article if necessary.
