New Zealand Has Far More Vape Shops Than KFC and McDonald's Outlets

The latest research shows that in New Zealand, the number of vape shops far exceeds the number of KFC and McDonald’s outlets.

In June this year, the New Zealand government announced a series of measures to address vaping issues, including banning new vape shops from opening within 300 meters of schools and gathering places.

However, Professor Janet Hoek of the University of Otago in Wellington said that a study conducted in June last year found that of New Zealand’s 645 specialist vape shops, 613 were located within 1 kilometer of a school. Since that study, the number of vape shops in New Zealand has nearly doubled.

Professor Janet Hoek said, “By the way, the current number of vape shops is four times the number of McDonald’s and KFC outlets, and it also exceeds the number of community pharmacies in New Zealand.”

Under New Zealand’s vaping legislation, general retailers are allowed to sell vaping products in tobacco, menthol, or mint flavors, while specialist vape shops may sell the full range of flavors. At the same time, minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from entering.

The regulations took effect in August 2021, and by November of that year, the vaping regulator had already approved applications for 671 specialist vape shops. By the end of March this year, another 534 applications had been approved.