UK's Largest Co-op Group Bans Single-Use E-Cigarettes, Expands Nicotine Pouch Line

Key points:

1.Co-op Wholesale has become one of the first wholesale suppliers in the UK to fully comply with the ban on disposable e-cigarettes, removing all disposable products from shelves on April 28th.

2.Co-op Wholesale has committed to offering compliant alternatives at the same wholesale prices, and will continue to maintain this pricing strategy before the ban takes effect.

3.The company has warned retailers that they will not accept returns of non-compliant products and emphasized the need to sell off old inventory as soon as possible.

According to a report by Betterretailing on April 29th, the UK wholesaler Co-op Wholesale has officially removed all of its disposable e-cigarette products from shelves on April 28th, becoming one of the first wholesalers in the UK market to fully comply with the upcoming ban on disposable e-cigarettes.

The company confirmed through internal communication sent to Nisa retailers that as of that day, its e-cigarette product line would be 100% compliant, completely phasing out disposable e-cigarette products.

In order to support the switch to compliant products at the retail level, Co-op Wholesale has announced that they will be offering alternative compliant products for major disposable e-cigarette brands. They have also committed to maintaining the same wholesale pricing as the products being phased out until the ban takes effect. For example, the wholesale price for the Elf Bar 600 pod kit is £18.50, while the Lost Mary BM600 kit is priced at £20.50.

In addition, the company explicitly informed retailers that no returns of non-compliant products will be accepted.

Co-op Wholesale has expanded its product line of nicotine pouches, now covering brands such as On, Klar, XQS, and Velo, and introducing new flavor options for the Velo brand.

This series of adjustments was previously disclosed to Nisa stores in a webinar held in mid-April. At that time, Co-op's senior tobacco category manager Helen Ludlam pointed out that the upcoming e-cigarette regulations are the most challenging adjustment for retailers in recent years.

Co-op Wholesale is part of The Co-operative Group, the largest cooperative group in the UK. It primarily operates as a wholesaler, supplying goods to stores owned by other consumer cooperatives, and also manages the Co-operative Federal alliance of cooperatives.