Electronic future for Tobacco Giants.

[Matt Gluggles]

Electronic future for tobacco giants



The latest issue of 'Convenience Store' magazine, a trade magazine aimed at small and medium Independent Retailers, carries this story.

www.conveniencestore.co.uk/news/electronic-future-for-tobacco-giants/232834.article

They report that sales of electronic cigarettes exceeds £10 million.

They confirm the rumours that Imperial Tobacco have invested in an e-cig company, although they have not declared which company has received the investment. A statement from Imperial Tobacco says:

"We are building considerable expertise in the field of e-cigarettes and actively engaging with regulators to support the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks"

There have also been reports that Imperial Tobacco are collecting a database of tobacco retailers, in the independent sector that already sell electronic cigarettes or may be willing to stock electronic cigarettes.

Ignore the stuff about JTI and the Ploom, JTI are barking up the wrong tree with that one.

It can only be a matter of time before a UK Tobacco company jumps right on board the e-cig business. The pattern is slow moving but clear and inevitable.

They have clearly been researching the electronic cigarette industry and 'building considerable expertise'.

The fact that they are "actively engaging with regulators" can only mean that they are intending to make a big move soon. Don't be alarmed by the phrase "to support the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks" - The tobacco companies will be ensuring regulations that are appropriate to them eg. freely available to over 18's, clarifying the advertising rules and ensuring that they have the Green Light from the Government to jump in.

This is mixed news, with plusses and minuses for us, but it is also inevitable. Tobacco companies will not sit on the sidelines for ever.

[Brian]

And when they do, It`ll be with pre-filled carto`s.

They wont want to deal with juices that will inevitably be restricted by the govt through legislation.

[hifistud]

The fact that BAT's Nicoventures is scheduled to go to market in the first (more likely second) quarter 2013 will doubtless have incentivised IT and JTI to get their fingers out. The new Ploom devices don't look bad, either - if I recall correctly, they use stuff smokers are familiar with and already have, so might be a goer - apparently, they make e-juice work very nicely. They're not for me, though.