EU/UK
More smokers could turn to reduced-risk products like e-cigarettes after an EU-wide ban on menthol in conventional cigarettes came into effect on May 20.
Research by TobaccoIntelligence shows that many retailers are planning to use the shelf space previously occupied by menthol cigarettes for alternatives such as vapor and heated tobacco (“heat-not-burn”) products.
“The opportunities to convert menthol smokers to less risky alternatives are substantial,” said TobaccoIntelligence managing news editor, David Palacios. “In the UK alone, for example, it is estimated that 1.3 million people currently using menthol cigarettes will need to find an alternative product.”
The EU-wide ban on menthol cigarettes applies only to menthol in conventional tobacco products, not to e-cigarettes or heated tobacco systems – where a wide range of flavors, including menthol, will continue to be available.