Germany’s International Trade Fair for Tobacco Products and Smoking Accessories (InterTabac) is the premier European and global trade show for the tobacco and smoking industry. Exhibited products include cigars, cigarettes, smoking accessories, new tobacco products (oral tobacco, e-cigarettes, HNB, etc.) as well as e-cigarette manufacturing equipment, tobacco peripherals, and accessories. Each year it attracts hundreds of exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors from around 60 countries worldwide, bringing together key players to network and showcase the latest offerings in the dynamic tobacco sector. With several European governments recently adopting negative stances towards disposable vapes, how these existing e-cigarette product categories in the European market are viewed, and whether the market landscape will undergo a reshuffling, have emerged as key discussion points for this year’s event.
European Governments State that Disposables May Become History in the Next Few Years
The rise of disposable vapes is attributable to their portability, stylish designs, affordability, and ease of use, which rapidly enabled them to capture the emerging new tobacco product consumer market in Europe and North America. However, these very traits have also made disposables the target of widespread threads. Due to the low price, quality control and standards tend to be lax for disposable vapes. Their FMCG nature also makes it difficult to form unified quality certification criteria across brands in the face of serious product homogenization, allowing low-quality and subpar products to run rampant. The appealing flavors and looks coupled with an accessible price point have also led many underage youth to pick up disposable vaping as their first exposure to nicotine. Notably, the single-use and non-biodegradable nature of disposables and their battery pollution are the most prominently cited reasons for condemnation.
– Clyde Loakes, chair of North London Waste Authority (NLWA) in the UK, has written to the Secretary of State for Environment urging a ban on disposable vapes, which he stated present “complex waste stream issues, are labor intensive and expensive to recycle” in a September 4 report by Circular Online.
– During a September 3 interview with RTL radio, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced the government is planning to unveil a new program to address smoking problems, including banning disposable vapes.
– The EU has proposed a plan to ban disposable vapes by the end of 2026.
With multiple government agencies taking a hard stance against disposables, finding alternatives to disposable vapes while still meeting consumer demand and social responsibility has emerged as the best solution. Industry observers believe pod systems are poised to become the replacement for disposables as their popularity faces restrictions, sparking a new wave of growth for pod systems in the European market.
Pod System Brands Jockey for Position – Who Will Break Through as the Industry Disruptor?
Reportedly, there are not many pod system brands will show up at the event including RELX, ANYX, etc. The leading Chinese vape brand RELX will exhibit and likely showcase its new product, Infinity 2. In addition, Smoore’s technology brand FeelM, the world’s largest manufacturer of ceramic coil cartridges, will also leverage this prime exposure opportunity.
A young vape brand, ANYX will be making its debut at InterTabac this year. As major vaping brands react to shifts in the market, ANYX stands out as a contrarian. Since its founding, the company has remained steadfast in its strategic focus on pod systems, continuously pushing technological boundaries in this highly homogenized sector. Its Sensit Coil cotton-based heating element provides an alternative to conventional ceramic coils, insisting on using innovative cotton coil technology. Its flagship product ANYX PRO earned great praise at the VapExpo Spain in June, which provides a consistent and less fade of flavor experience.
With InterTabac opening against the backdrop of strong European opposition to disposable vapes, this show carries particular weight and may mark a pivotal turning point in the explosive disposable e-cigarette market in Europe. However, the question remains Which pod system brand can break through and emerge as the first “disruptor” to halt the chaotic flood of disposable sales.