In response to vaping concerns, Chinese manufacturer IMiracle, producer of Elf Bar, has decided to discontinue the sales of disposable vapes featuring flavors inspired by popular soft drinks, candies, and desserts in the United Kingdom. This voluntary ban applies to both Elf Bar and Lost Mary brands, which together constitute more than half of the disposable vapes market in the UK, according to NielsenIQ. Elf Bar has already ceased UK sales of Bubble Gum and Cotton Candy flavors and renamed the Gummy Bear variant as “Gami.” This strategic move aims to address claims that these popular disposable vapes target youth, likely influencing anti-vaping groups. The UK and various European countries have faced concerns about youth vaping in recent years, prompting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to propose potential changes to vaping regulations, subject to ongoing public consultation.
Despite Elf Bar’s decision, criticism may persist, and the demand for popular flavors in the UK among both youth and adults may remain unmet. This opens opportunities for Chinese manufacturers of off-brand and counterfeit products to fill convenience store shelves with alternatives featuring the discontinued flavors.
In a parallel scenario, Juul Labs voluntarily ceased sales of refill pods in non-tobacco, non-menthol, and non-mint flavors in November 2018 (discontinuing mint sales in 2019). However, this move did not alleviate criticism from public health officials and tobacco control groups, contributing to the emergence of an unauthorized market for “Juul-compatible” pods in various flavors.
Notably, Elf Bar products lack FDA authorization in the United States, with the agency targeting the brand in its enforcement against disposable vapes. This includes issuing warning letters to retailers, distributors, and importers, imposing fines on repeat offenders, and instructing FDA import inspectors to detain shipments of Chinese Elf Bar products.
