the e-cigarette market | France

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The electronic cigarette or e-cigarette is a credible alternative to the traditional cigarette. Developed since 2005 following a Chinese patent, the electronic cigarette works like a vaporizer; a liquid, transformed into a gas by the action of heat, is inhaled by the smoker who becomes a "vaporizer"

The market for electronic cigarette is full of potential. It is estimated that more than 500,000 people the number of new steam engines that emerged in France in 2018. The margins for progress are impressive since France has more than 15 million smokers half of whom want to stop. After experiencing strong growth in France from 2013 to 2015, however, the growth of electronic cigarettes is slowing down. The number of steam engines increased by 86% in 2013 and 2015, the rate having since stabilized. The market took advantage of its disruptive side for a while, with many steamers who are former traditional smokers. Today the market is in decline for several reasons Competition has intensified and many smokers have succeeded in quitting smoking thanks to the e-cigarette, which gradually reduces the nicotine dose.

Nevertheless, this market decline would be due to the transition from the fashion effect, and a market recovery is expected on a more solid basis. Customers should equip themselves more and electronic cigarette shops are diversifying their products: more flavours, more flavours, more choices in weaning products, etc. As a result, the market is expected to grow by more than 20% between 2016 and 2020. The smoking cessation segment alone is expected to grow by more than 18% over this period.

The market is currently dominated by small players who have recently launched themselves on the Internet and recently into the opening of physical shops; however, physical shops are emerging at a very high speed. Traditional cigarette companies will not leave the market in the hands of the "little ones" for long. In the United States already, the market leader Blucigs has just been acquired by the Lorillard group, the country's third largest cigar manufacturer. By 2016, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Poland, Germany and South Korea account for 75% of the world market.

The impact on public health of electronic cigarettes is controversial. Developments in terms of R e-cigarettes should not be delayed any longer in the face of pressure from health authorities and suspicion of products coming mainly from China. However, a lack of knowledge of the real health effects of the electronic cigarette could slow market growth in the coming years.