France: E-Cigarettes Surge as Tobacco Sales Drop Sharply

According to the Heating Not Burning Information Network, the popularity of e-cigarettes has led to a significant decline in tobacco sales in France. Recently, the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) released the final data for the French tobacco market in 2013. The data shows that tobacco sales in France fell by 7.6% in 2013. This is the first decline in tobacco sales since the significant price increases in 2003 and 2004. A total of 47.5 billion cigarettes were sold in France in 2013, approximately 4 billion fewer than in 2012. Although cigarette sales continued to rise, the growth rate has significantly slowed (with an increase of 2.6%).
OFDT pointed out that the decline in sales can be attributed to the price increases of tobacco over the past four years. It is reported that the best-selling cigarette brands have a price of around 7 euros (approximately 58.67 RMB) per pack. In addition, the booming development of e-cigarettes has also impacted tobacco sales. At the end of 2013, a survey of 2,000 smokers aged 15 to 75 confirmed that e-cigarettes had achieved great success.
OFDT stated that over 8 million French people have tried e-cigarettes, and more than 1 million reported using e-cigarettes daily. Among those who have tried e-cigarettes, the majority are young people. Among those who frequently or daily use e-cigarettes, the highest proportion is in the 25-44 age group. The president of the French E-Cigarette Sales Industry Association (CACE), De Lori, stated that e-cigarettes are no longer a fashionable behavior; they have established a foothold in the French market.
However, reports also indicate that two-thirds of e-cigarette users have not completely stopped smoking traditional tobacco; they have merely reduced their consumption of it. Most e-cigarette users report that they use e-cigarettes more frequently than traditional cigarettes. In this regard, OFDT pointed out that heavy use of e-cigarettes can reduce smokers' average consumption of tobacco, which is undeniable.
Reports indicate that smokers purchasing cigarettes abroad, especially in border areas, is also a reason for the decline in domestic tobacco sales. However, relevant surveys indicate that compared to a survey conducted in 2010, the phenomenon of purchasing cigarettes abroad has not significantly expanded in this survey. Can e-cigarettes help people quit smoking entirely? The answer is unclear. OFDT's survey shows that only 1% of respondents said that using e-cigarettes helped them quit smoking completely. For most smokers, the effect of e-cigarettes remains limited. Reports indicate that e-cigarettes only began to develop rapidly from April to May 2013. In addition, the number of smokers is also on a downward trend. The same survey shows that currently, 26% to 29% of people aged 15 to 75 in France are smokers. In 2010, this proportion was 34%. However, OFDT emphasizes that due to the small sample size of the survey, the related data should be interpreted with caution. To confirm whether tobacco sales in France have indeed declined, reference should be made to the relevant survey data that the French Institute for Prevention and Health Education (Inpes) will release at the end of 2014, which will have a sample size of 15,000 people.