Nielsen report: Vuse's e-cigarette market share slips slightly but remains No. 1 in the US

The Nielsen convenience store report shows that R.J. Reynolds' Vuse e-cigarette market share has slightly declined, while the second-ranked JUUL share remains unchanged. Altria Group's NJoy share has not increased, and Blu e-cigarette share also remains unchanged. Due to inflation and rising prices, consumer demand for tobacco products fluctuates. The overall e-cigarette market has decreased by 6.3%, putting pressure on overall tobacco sales.

According to a report from journalnow on September 26, the latest data from Nielsen convenience stores shows that R.J. Reynolds' Vuse e-cigarette market share continues to decline slightly, down 0.2 percentage points, but still holds the number one market share in the US.

Data shows that Vuse's market share has dropped from 41.7% to 41.5%, while the second-ranked Juul's market share remains unchanged at 24.7%. In May 2019, Juul's market share in the US e-cigarette market was as high as 74.6%, but a series of regulatory actions led to a reduction in product availability.

Meanwhile, despite Altria Group owning the third-ranked NJoy, its market share has not significantly increased, remaining at 2.6%. The market share of Blu e-cigarettes (BlueCigs), a subsidiary of Imperial Brands Plc, also remains unchanged at 1.2%.

According to Barclays, Nielsen's report mainly covers data from large chain stores for the four weeks ending September 9. The group extrapolates trends for small chain stores based on data from large chain stores, which is why changes in the report may not appear immediately.

Over the past 12 to 18 months, consumer demand for tobacco products has fluctuated due to inflation and short-term increases in traditional cigarette prices. Juul's dollar sales in this report increased by 50.2% compared to the report from August 2019, but recently saw a decline of 17.5%.

In comparison, Reynolds' Vuse increased by 2% in the latest report; NJoy decreased by 9.5%; BlueCigs decreased by 19.5%. The overall e-cigarette category has decreased by 6.3%. The overall tobacco industry sales and volume have remained under pressure in the past four weeks.

This Nielsen report reflects the situation regarding California's ban on menthol-flavored traditional cigarettes, which account for 8% of the overall market in the US. Industry analyst Bonnie Herzog stated, "Looking ahead, we expect cigarette sales to decline further, especially considering the current rise in oil prices, which are nearing $4 per gallon." 2022, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. raised wholesale cigarette prices four times, with increases in January and June exceeding normal levels, while PMI USA has raised prices three times this year. Wholesale prices are the prices retailers pay to cigarette manufacturers, and generally, these increased costs are passed on to retail consumers.

In the latest report, Philip Morris' market share peaked at 50.9%, with the best-selling Marlboro cigarettes accounting for 45.8% of the overall market share. Meanwhile, Reynolds Tobacco Company's share is 33.4%.