MARKET LEADER SKE IS FIRST TO MOVE IN WAKE OF GOVERNMENT DISPOSABLE BAN

Top brand first off the mark in new vape product development days after government announcement on disposables
Industry leader says innovation will win the day as the vape landscape changes moving forward

Leading vape brand SKE has launched a new multiple pod system just days after the announcement of a government ban on single-use vapes, marking the first of the market’s transition from disposable to reusable products.

The company, which ‘continuously monitors and anticipates potential legislative change’, said it realised it needed to take pre-emptive action and invest in a new vape solution for users when it became clear single-use devices could be outlawed.

It said it created the reusable pod system to help former smokers avoid relapse by ensuring they had access to a compliant alternative in the event their chosen device was removed from market, as well as to ensure it could still help current smokers looking to move away from cigarettes.

A spokesperson Joanna Luo for SKE said: “The vape sector’s success is based on its ability to disrupt and adapt. We are sure other brands will follow us in developing new products which can be used by adults – especially displaced disposable users – who are looking to quit and stay off cigarettes.

“As the landscape of our sector changes and a major product category looks set to be banned, it is critical the industry collectively does all it can to maximise the stop smoking potential of vaping and to continue to support the government in the ambition to secure a smokefree future.”

In 2023, leading trade publication The Grocer – in association with researcher NIQ – named SKE as one of the top vaping products in it’s ‘Top Products Survey’. SKE said it has secured its leading position by ‘reading the market’ and that this product will be one of many as we move into the future.

SKE’s 4-in-1 system features a pod clip which can accommodate four different flavoured cartridges at the same time and a ‘spinning mechanism’ which allows users to transition between pods and instantly change the flavour in use.

The interchangeable pod design meets the demand for flavours amongst vapers and smokers as a key element to help them get off and stay off cigarettes. The strong role flavours was reflected in a recent statement from the Royal College of Physicians, which said they are an ‘integral part of the effectiveness of vaping as a quit aid’.

A spokesperson Joanna Luo for SKE said: “Flavours have and continue to be instrumental to the quitting journeys of millions of adults. Research from One Poll revealed that 83 percent of vapers say flavours help them ‘pack in their smoking habit’.

“Each of the pods also contains up to 600 puffs, meaning fully loaded device can deliver as many as 2,400 puffs while remaining compliant with UK regulations. This increased capacity means customers can get a better value for money at a time when the UK is going through a cost-of-living crisis.”

The RRP of the 4-in-1 device is set at £12.99, while the estimated price of a 600-puff disposable is around £5, meaning the new pod system can deliver the same puff count as four single-use vapes at two thirds of the cost. This means that SKE’s new re-usable product can offer the same advantages as disposables when it comes to prices accessibility.

SKE’s new device is available in 16 flavours including Watermelon Ice, Watermelon Strawberry, Pink Lemonade, Melon Berry, Blueberry Sour Raspberry, Cola Ice, Blueberry Raspberries, Blueberry Peach, Lemon & Lime, Blueberry Lime, Tropical Mixed, Lychee Ice, Cherry Ice, Strawberry Burst, Fizzy Cherry and White Peach Razz.