Tag: United Kingdom

Survey: Smokers Happy to Buy Illicit Tobacco

Photo: BAT
Nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of participants in a poll among U.K. smokers bought illicit tobacco in the past year, according to a recent survey reported in Talking Retail.
The figure is down from 2019, when the same survey found that 78 percent of respondents said that they had bought illicit tobacco.
One challenge for the industry is that few consumers have moral reservations about purchasing illicit products. Sixty-eight percent of survey participants said they had no issue with buying tobacco this way.
Carried out by the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA), the survey of 12,000 smokers also found that nearly one-fifth (19 percent) of respondents bought their illicit tobacco from social media sites.
“There is positive news in this year’s survey findings, with more people reporting illicit tobacco when they were aware of it—a major uplift to 32 percent compared with 17 percent in 2017—and a decline in people purchasing illegal tobacco in every region across the U.K., with the exception of London,” said Rupert Lewis, director of the TMA.
“However, the 2021 findings still highlight the continued widespread availability of illicit tobacco as well as the entrenched perception among many consumers that it is ‘acceptable’ to trade or buy illicit
April 5, 2022
U.K. Acknowledges Vaping’s THR Role
Photo: ink drop
The U.K. Department for Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) has acknowledged the role of vaping in smoking harm reduction, according to the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).
In its review of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations (TRPR) laws, which was published on March 25, the DHSC noted existing TRPR regulations “met their original objectives” and that they “could not be better achieved through alternative regulatory measures.”
The government has set itself a target of reducing the amount of U.K. smokers to just 5 percent of the population in the next eight years with the TRPR and other developments, such as the yet to be published Tobacco Control Plan (TCP), set to play a major role in helping to realize that ambition.
“While at first glance this appears to be ‘status quo,’ I see this as a win for the U.K’s vaping sector as the review clearly states the positive impact that vaping can have in helping people to quit smoking,” said John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA.
“As part of the TRPR consultation we submitted a whole raft of proposals aimed at creating a better commercial and regulatory environment to make it easier for the industry to help people trying to give up smoking and it is good to see those acknowledged.”

I see this as a win for the U.K’s vaping sector as the review clearly states the positive impact that vaping can have in helping people to quit smoking.
John Dunne, director general, UKVIA
The UKVIA, which promotes vaping as a much less harmful alternative to smoking and its significant impact in helping smokers quit, as well as dispelling the misinformation on vaping that exists, submitted a landmark package of recommendations to the TRPR consultation, including:
The use of government-approved expert health claims on products to address misinformation leading to misperceptions on vaping, and therefore encourage smokers to switch
Greater opportunities to engage with smokers, as current regulations restrict vaping’s ability to provide smokers with evidence-based knowledge to make informed decisions when looking to quit
The extension of certain regulations to cover additional vaping products, such as non-nicotine e-liquids, thereby ensuring a highly responsible and safe industry.
“What this tells me is that the industry is doing its job in bringing to the fore some of the things that have been holding back vaping’s ability to support the government’s smokefree targets to full effect,” said Dunne.
“We have to remember this is only a review of all points made and some initial positions the government is taking; our hope now is that those proposals and recommendations are carried forward and manifested in the Tobacco Control Plan.
“So, while in some respects it is disappointing that the government hasn’t taken forward the measured, evidence-based reviews put forward by the UKVIA, there is still positivity that in addition to forthcoming TCP, our recommendations can also inform and influence the Health Disparities White Paper and independent review into tobacco control policies.”
March 27, 2022
British Authorities Seize Illicit Tobacco

Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive
Authorities seized 13 million illegal cigarettes and 4,300 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco across England and Wales, reports City AM.
The operation involved raids on homes and shops conducted by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff, Border Force officials, police and local authorities. The raids are part of a broader strategy aiming to tackle the government’s “three ‘tiers’ of criminality,” with HMRC shutting down illegal factories abroad and Border Force intercepting smuggled products and cash at the border.
Illegal trade costs the treasury £2 billion ($2.61 billion) each year. The government has implemented high and increasing tobacco tax, raising duty by 2 percent above the rate of inflation each year in order to discourage consumption and raise revenue. As duties have increased, though, illegal trade has also increased.
According to the European Anti-Fraud Office, 70 percent of U.K. consumers buy black market tobacco products because they are cheaper than legal products.
March 15, 2022
U.K. Regulators Release E-Cig Pricing Guidance

Photo: kmitt
The U.K. Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have released an enforcement notice for promotional online pricing of e-cigarettes.
According to the notice, CAP writes the advertising rules, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, the U.K.’s independent advertising regulator.
The enforcement notice relates to the manner in which e-cigarette pricing appears on websites. According to CAP, companies are allowed to present factual information but not in a way that would constitute promotion. The enforcement notice states that some companies are portraying pricing in ways that would be considered promotion, for example, emphasizing discounts and savings.
“Please take immediate action to ensure your advertising complies,” the notice states. “We will be monitoring websites in the coming months. If we see continued problems in this area, we will take targeted enforcement action to ensure a level playing field. This may include—where advertisers are unwilling to comply—referral to our legal backstop.”
February 25, 2022
UKVIA Anticipates Busy Year for Vaping
The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) anticipates a busy year for the sector, the industry group noted at the publication of its 2021 annual report.
Among other activities, the association looks forward to launching its first Economic Impact Report, which will be used to highlight the vaping industry’s significant contribution to the British economy and support engagement with policymakers and the media.
The UKVIA also plans to roll out of a levelling-up campaign designed to achieve recognition for the important role that vaping plays in reducing health inequalities across the U.K.
In addition, the group intends to build on the launch this year of the UKVIA’s healthcare campaign, which has included the development of a dedicated online advice hub for healthcare professionals and patients with smoking conditions.
This year will also witness the conclusion of the review of the U.K. Tobacco and Related Products Regulations, which will shape the future of the industry for years to come, according to the UKVIA.
Coinciding with the UKVIA’s annual vaping industry forum, planned for June 2022, the group is planning a new awards event to recognize the high standards within the industry.
January 29, 2022
Campaigners Attack Cost-of-Smoking Claim

Simon Clark (Photo: Forest)
Smokers’ rights campaigners have rejected a claim that smokers cost society £17 billion ($23.3 billion) a year in the U.K.—£5 billion more than previously estimated.
On Jan. 14, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) published an economic analysis of U.K. data suggesting that the cost of smoking is significantly higher than previous estimates have shown.
The higher estimate is a result of a new assessment of the impact of smoking on productivity. According to ASH, smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to become ill while of working age, increasing the likelihood being out of work and reducing the average wages of smokers. Smokers are also more likely to die while they are still of working age, creating a further loss to the economy.
The report also cites smoking-related fires as a major cost to society, in the form of fire-related deaths, injuries and property damage.
“The suggestion that smokers are a significant economic burden on society is absurd,” countered Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ lobby group Forest.
“More than 80 percent of the cost of tobacco in the UK is tax and the revenue from the sale of legal tobacco is almost £10 billion a year. That’s a fact.
“In contrast, the contrived claim that smoking costs society £17 billion is based on nothing more than estimates and calculations.
“As well as making a huge contribution to the public purse, smokers make a significant contribution to the local economy because without the money they spend on tobacco many village shops and convenience stores would lose a regular source of income.
“The health risks of smoking are well known. If adults choose to smoke that’s a matter for them not government. Ministers must remember that and not be swayed by exaggerated claims about the cost of smoking to society.”
January 14, 2022
Dentsu to Operate U.K. Track-and-Trace System

Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of the United Kingdom has appointed Dentsu Tracking with the establishment and operation of the new digital tobacco track-and-trace system, replacing the current provider, DeLaRue. The new system becomes operational on July 1, 2022.
“I am very pleased about HMRC’s decision to task Dentsu Tracking with the establishment and operation of the new digital U.K. tobacco track-and-trace system,” said Dentsu Managing Director Philippe Castella in a statement. “Dentsu Tracking brings a wealth of experience and expertise in supply chain control, and we are thrilled to team up with HMRC in their fight against the illicit tobacco trade, helping them to increase revenue collection and protecting citizens and legitimate businesses in the U.K.”
All businesses engaged in the manufacture, importation or supply of tobacco products in the U.K. will need to report their activities to the new track-and-trace system.
“Leveraging the advantages of digital technology, Dentsu will deliver a track-and-trace system tailored to the specifics of the U.K. market,” said Jan Hoffmann, director of regulatory affairs. “It will provide HMRC with a high level of government control over the tobacco supply chain, allowing enforcement bodies to detect the different forms of illicit trade and curb the circulation of noncompliant products. The new system also enables the U.K. government to comply with the WHO FCTC Protocol.”
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Dentsu Tracking is a provider of digital supply chain control solutions.
January 11, 2022
Industry up in Arms Over Anti-Vaping Report

Photo: deagreez
The U.K. Vaping Industry Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has labeled an anti-vaping report in The Lancet “incredulous, laughable, untrue and extremely worrying.”
The authors of The Lancet article contest the suggestion that e-cigarettes are safer than conventional cigarettes. The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recently announced plans to allow healthcare providers to prescribe medicinally licensed e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, they write, could prove as harmful as the endorsement of tobacco by physicians between 1920 and 1950.
“We have the greatest respect for the medical profession but for one of its leading journals to carry an article which states that there is no robust evidence to show that vaping has accelerated smoking cessation is quite unbelievable and completely untrue,” said John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, in a statement.
“Worryingly this isn’t just an article questioning the clinical evidence basis for vaping as a harm reduction tool. Everything about it smacks of anti-vaping propaganda starting with the suggestion that the market is all the making of tobacco companies to line their pockets. This is an insult to all the independent companies across the U.K. and globally who make up the vast majority of the players in the sector and who have not just contributed positively to public health by helping 2.4 million former smokers in the U.K. completely quit their habits but have created huge numbers of jobs at the same time and one of the fastest growing industry’s this century, thereby making a massive contribution to our economy. Our membership is testament to this—out of our nearly 100 members, some 95 percent have no affiliation to tobacco companies.
“Such a highly respected journal as The Lancet should know better when running articles and look at all the evidence that is available and opinions across the healthcare spectrum. Instead, the report which is carried completely ignores research which has clearly shown on more than one occasion vaping to have a hugely positive impact on smoking cessation, and significantly more so than NRTs.

For one of its leading journals to carry an article which states that there is no robust evidence to show that vaping has accelerated smoking cessation is quite unbelievable and completely untrue.
John Dunne, director general, UKVIA
“The article’s assertion that the pro-vaping stance of Public Health England contradicts the rest of the world is nothing short of laughable, choosing to ignore the positions of the likes of Cancer Research UK—which says on its website that there is no good evidence that vaping causes cancer—and the Royal College of Physicians who have both publicly recognized the harm reduction opportunity that vaping offers over smoking. The report also ignores large scale research which backs up the public health potential of e-cigarettes, such as the study produced by the British Heart Foundation and the University of Dundee which suggested that vaping may be less harmful to blood vessels than smoking cigarettes.
“It’s these types of one-sided and misleading articles that leave smokers and vapers confused and questioning the health benefits of vaping versus smoking, leading to them either continuing with or returning to smoking. But, whilst we’re not getting data from hospitals and doctors suggesting that we should be worried about the effects of vaping—and, let’s face it, we would have heard by now given vape products have been available in this country for more than a decade, what is undeniable is that smoking kills—some 78,000 people a year to be exact—and the very death toll that vaping is helping to address. Instead, the report in The Lancet blames the U.K. government for its pro-vaping stance and highlights that they are in danger of presiding over what will be the biggest public health disaster in U.K. history.
“As a responsible industry, we’re more than up for continued independent clinical research into the long term impact of vaping, to prove once and for all that vaping is the biggest public health prize seen this century.”
December 23, 2021
U.K. Vaping Hits Record High as Smoking Drops

Photo: Rain
The number of people who vape in the U.K. has risen to its highest level since records began while the number of U.K. adults who smoke has fallen below 14 percent for the first time in years, according to just released government figures.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published its annual report into smoking prevalence in the U.K., which includes figures on the number of adults who vape, just one month after the Department of Health’s announcement that vaping devices could soon be prescribed to smokers through the National Health Service.
In 2014, when data on the number of U.K. vapers started being collected, 3.7 percent of the population reported using e-cigarettes. In 2020, that had risen to 6.4 percent, equivalent to around 3.3 million people.
The report also reveals that the number of adult smokers in the U.K. currently stands at 13.8 percent of the population—its lowest percentage since at least 2015.
“This is a hugely welcome announcement as everyone on the side of harm reduction knows that vaping is far less harmful than smoking—by as much as 95 percent, according to the former health protection watchdog Public Health England [now part of the U.K. Health Security Agency]—so more people vaping and less smoking can only be cause for celebration,” said John Dunne, director-general of the U.K. Vaping Industry Association, in a statement.

This is a hugely welcome announcement as everyone on the side of harm reduction knows that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.
John Dunne, director-general, UKVIA
The ONS Smoking Prevalence Report highlighted that the number of ex-smokers who now vape had risen from 11.7 percent in 2019 to 12.3 percent while the number of smokers who also vape increased from 15.5 percent in 2019 to 17.8 percent in 2020.
However, according to the ONS monthly data, smoking rates rose sharply during the pandemic and national lockdown to a peak of 16.3 percent in August before slowly decreasing to 13.8 percent by the end of 2020.
“While this rise in smoking prevalence during lockdown could be attributed to increased anxiety because of the pandemic, I would also point toward the fact that specialty vape shops were not granted ‘essential retail’ status and therefore had to close their doors as another significant contributing factor,” said Dunne.
December 9, 2021
Vapor Firms Vying for U.K. Medical Licenses

Photo: makistock
Vapor companies are vying to get their product prescribed by the U.K. National Health Service after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency last month encouraged companies to apply for a medical license, reports The Financial Times.
Companies preparing applications include U.S.-based NJOY, DSL Group, which owns Nottingham-based Multivape, Yatzz of Ireland and Leeds-based Superdragon, whose director David Xiu described the potential market as “much more than a multimillion-pound” opportunity.
The e-cigarette market is worth more than £2 billion ($2.66 billion) in the U.K., according to Euromonitor, much more than in other European countries.
As of yet, none of the leading tobacco companies have launched medicinal-use applications for the vapor brands.
Imperial Brands, the U.K. owner of Blu e-cigarettes, said it was “carefully studying the new guidance.” Japan Tobacco International said it had “not made any decisions regarding licenses” for its Logic brand of vapes. Juul Labs said it had “nothing to announce at this time.”
British American Tobacco, which owns Vuse, declined to comment.
BAT-backed nicotine inhaler Voke received U.K. medical approval in 2014, but was scrapped after financing and manufacturing difficulties.

The medical device will be locked down to a significant degree, with changes only possible infrequently and after jumping through a lot of hoops.
Erik Bloomquist
Tobacco analyst Erik Bloomquist said companies may prefer commercial routes due to the length of the approval process. Licensing could take several years, during which time products can become out of date.
“The medical device will be locked down to a significant degree, with changes only possible infrequently and after jumping through a lot of hoops,” he said.
Compliance costs could also be prohibitive for smaller groups. Chris Allen, chief scientific officer at consultancy Broughton, said clinical trials, marketing and compliance costs could amount to as much as £3 million to £5 million for a single product. This means that “only a handful of companies would look at this path,” he said in a statement.
December 1, 2021