- Major retail expansion programmes planned by vaping businesses
- Industry body predicts vaping shops will be on every high street in the next two years
- Industry set for record Christmas
- Recent Public Health England advertising campaign promoting vaping gives sector major boost
There will be vaping retail outlets on the majority of high streets in the UK over the next two years as national chains establish themselves, according to the sector’s leading trade body, the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).
The vaping sector, which is only a decade old, is forecast to grow to a £4bn plus industry in the UK by 2021. The UKVIA estimates that there are more than 2,000 stores across the country currently but that this is likely to grow exponentially over the next two to three years as retail brands embark on major store investment programmes. The prediction comes just as the industry is forecasting a record Christmas for sales.
Says Doug Mutter, a board member at UKVIA: “Whilst only ten years old as an industry, vaping is now big business and significant retail brands are beginning to emerge taking vaping shops from the back street to the high street. Just as Google disrupted communications; Uber, travelling by taxi; and Airbnb, accommodation provision, so vaping has done so through the seismic shift it has caused away from smoking. Vaping stores are mirroring the growth trajectory of coffee and mobile phone shops.”
He added: “The recent advertising campaign by Public Health England – the first of its kind to promote vaping – and the Government’s Tobacco Control Plan, which reinforced the critical role that vaping has to play in getting smokers to quit, have both been a massive boost to the industry.”
Edinburgh-based Vaporized, where Mutter is the Manufacturing and Compliance Director, was formed just five years ago and is both a manufacturer and retailer of vaping products. The company opened its first store in 2012 and today it’s now the largest vape retail chain with a portfolio of 105 outlets across the country. Such is the demand that a further 30 stores are planned to come on stream by quarter 2 of 2018.
Launched just six years ago by Ben Potter, Ecigwizard operates 42 retail stores nationwide with plans to invest up to £10m to create a retail chain of at least 150 outlets within the next five years which will generate up to 600 jobs. Its stores are designed by the company that has Nike, EE, Sky and TK Maxx as its clients.
London-based Evapo, founded by Andrej Kuttruf in 2014, currently has a 25-strong retail portfolio with plans to more than double this to 55 in the next year and ultimately grow to 250 stores across the country. The flavour bars, which enable customers to try as many as 180 e-liquid flavours adds to the shopping experience.
Kuttruf says: “We’re building a high street brand, no question, as we require the brand visibility. Customers expect a modern environment when you’re based in the High Street and we provide that. We think it’s the best way to appeal to smokers to make the switch.”
Vapouriz, based in Guildford and one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of e-liquids, is also expanding its retail portfolio. The company opened its first retail store in 2014 and launched its franchise programme earlier this year. The business now has eight stores trading under the Vapestore brand, including its relaunched Guildford flagship store, which includes a number of new features including a Vape Bar and Vape Vault. The company also has major plans to open further company owned stores and franchised operations in place for 2018.
Stockport based Blend & Bottle, a market leading e-liquid manufacturer, also has significant plans to grow its Socialites store portfolio which currently consists of 41 kiosks and 18 shops. The company plans to launch one or two new kiosk sites a month at prime shopping locations across the next two years.
Christmas has also come early for the vaping sector. Watford-based Vape Club, the UK’s largest online vape e-liquid shop has seen sales up 300% year on year during the Black Friday period and is predicting significant growth during December. Dan Marchant, Chief Executive of Vape Club, says: “Vaping products are perfect gift items and we are seeing significant demand for higher end hardware from those buying presents and people treating themselves.”
Similarly, JAC Vapour, which has bases in Edinburgh and Manchester and is one of the largest online providers of e-cigarettes, has seen growth of circa 150% over the Black Friday weekend and is predicting record sales during December, up 25% on last year.