Will BAT Rothmans Shake the Market with 'Buz' Dedicated to Liquid Type?

Liquid-type e-cigarette 'Vuse' launched domestically this month
Aiming to regain market share by targeting niche markets
2019 Ministry of Health's 'Strong Recommendation to Stop Use' remains a challenge

BAT Rothmans is expanding its market share by launching a liquid-type electronic cigarette product in the domestic market. Currently ranked third in the domestic market behind KT&G and Philip Morris, the company is aiming to target a niche market by leveraging the relatively lower harm and superior convenience compared to traditional cigarettes.

According to industry sources on the 23rd, BAT Rothmans will launch the liquid-type electronic cigarette 'VUSE' in Korea. The model introduced domestically includes American-made natural liquid and features an integrated design that ensures product quality and stability.

VUSE is a liquid-type electronic cigarette brand first introduced in 2013 by the American tobacco company RJ Reynolds. It is a closed-system liquid-type electronic cigarette containing natural nicotine and holds the number one market share in the U.S. market. After acquiring RJ Reynolds in 2017, the BAT Group integrated its existing liquid-type electronic cigarette brand 'Vype' with the VUSE brand.

BAT Rothmans' launch of this liquid-type electronic cigarette is interpreted as an attempt to create a new market and shake up the domestic tobacco market to boost its stagnant market share. According to market research firm Euromonitor, BAT's market share in the domestic heated tobacco market last year was 11.7%, ranking third behind KT&G (49%) and Philip Morris (40%). Last month, BAT Rothmans also announced clinical research results showing that using its next-generation oral tobacco product 'VELO' significantly reduces exposure indicators to toxic substances related to smoking diseases and potential harm indicators, signaling efforts to ignite a new market.

The global liquid-type electronic cigarette market, which was valued at $11.4 billion (approximately 14 trillion KRW) in 2017, grew rapidly to $28 billion (approximately 36 trillion KRW) last year, increasing more than 2.5 times in five years. Liquid-type electronic cigarettes operate by injecting a nicotine-containing liquid (nicotine liquid) and heating it with a coil. Since they do not burn tobacco leaves, they are known to have a higher harm reduction effect compared to traditional cigarettes and have the advantage of producing less odor, thereby reducing the harm of secondhand smoke. Additionally, they are praised for their user convenience as users do not need to replace sticks each time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.