Interview with BAT Germany: Growth of Disposable and Open-System Vaping Devices Is Constrained, Pod

At the InterTabac trade show in Dortmund, Daniel Terveen, Head of Public Relations for BAT Germany, told 2Firsts that the EU requires all e-cigarettes to have removable batteries. This regulation limits the growth potential of disposable and open-system e-cigarettes, so pod-based products are expected to become the mainstream trend in the future.

【2Firsts reporting from Dortmund】On September 15, at the InterTabac trade show in Dortmund, 2Firsts conducted an exclusive interview with Daniel Terveen, Head of Public Relations for BAT Germany, on such topics as the growth outlook for disposable e-cigarettes and the current state of the German e-cigarette market. 

Daniel Terveen said that as Germany’s e-liquid tax increases, open-system e-cigarettes have seen significantly larger price increases because of their greater e-liquid capacity. In contrast, closed-system e-cigarettes containing only 2 ml of e-liquid have experienced relatively smaller price increases, so consumers are more inclined to buy closed-system products, which are considered more economical. 

2Firsts interviewed Daniel Terveen, Head of Public Relations for BAT Germany | Image source: 2Firsts 

In the closed-system segment, Daniel Terveen is more optimistic about the prospects for pod-based products. In his view, disposable e-cigarettes face substantial environmental pressure and are not sustainable in the long run. In addition, the EU is about to introduce environmental regulations related to e-cigarettes, requiring all e-cigarettes to have removable batteries. This requirement limits the growth potential of disposable and open-system e-cigarettes, while pod-based vaping devices are expected to become the mainstream trend in the future. 

When asked how BAT balances its portfolio of next-generation tobacco products, Daniel Terveen said that the development trend of tobacco products moves gradually from cigarettes to heated tobacco products, then to vapor e-cigarettes, and ultimately toward oral nicotine products. This is a process of gradually reducing harm. Therefore, BAT does not currently favor any one category in particular, but instead chooses to launch these different types of products simultaneously to meet the needs of harm reduction users at each stage. 

At this exhibition, 2Firsts tested BAT’s VUSE PRO pod device at its booth and found that the product features app-based power control and can also monitor puff counts in real time. It is understood that VUSE PRO is the No. 1 brand by market share in the U.S. closed-system e-cigarette market. 

2Firsts tested BAT’s VUSE PRO pod device at the BAT booth | Image source: 2Firsts