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TOBACCO Imperial introduces JPS 93mm Long Imperial Brands Australasia has launched a new product, JPS 93mm Long, which is marketed as enabling consumers to “experience extra for less”. The company says consumers love JPS. It believes some of them are looking for an offer that will keep them “satisfied between smokes”. JPS 93mm Long, says Imperial, has a 12 per cent longer stick at a more affordable price compared with JPS Regular 20s. While working on this offer, the company says, it was mindful that, as the price for a pack of cigarettes increases with every excise, consumers are managing their expenditure by moving away from bigger pack sizes and into smaller pack sizes. Therefore, JPS 93mm Long is available in the “popular” 20s pack size, in red, blue and gold variants. With a new player in the JPS 20s range, Imperial says it wants to keep attracting diverse-profile consumers into the JPS brand, recognising they have different needs: • For those looking for a longer smoking experience, the company is offering JPS 93mm Long 20s. • For consumers who want an affordable crushball, JPS has a range in JPS+ Crushball. • For the core consumer of the brand, JPS has a range of regular 20s. Imperial asks government to embrace e-cigarettes It’s difficult to understand why the Australian government refuses to offer smokers access to e-cigarettes given its aim to reduce the smoking rate to 10 per cent, says Kirsten Daggar- Nickson, Head of Corporate Affairs at Imperial Brands Australia. “These products have been proven to be effective harm reduction tools across the world,” she said. “There are three million smokers in Australia and around 300,000 people who vape, albeit largely illegally, because the government is stumbling behind the rest of the world when it comes to introducing fair and reasonable regulation, forcing consumers to order vaping products from overseas.” Ms Daggar-Nickson says many people may not even be aware of what e-cigarettes are, given the lack of traditional media coverage. However, she believes it’s important for adult consumers to know these products have been legal for a decade in countries including the UK, the US and many parts of Europe. “Closed e-cigarette systems, such as our product, contain nicotine liquid, flavour and two alcohol based mixing agents,” she said. “The liquid is heated in a small device and produces a vapour, hence the term vaping. “We understand nicotine is addictive, just as caffeine is. Nicotine is not a carcinogen, and its safety profile, used under normal conditions, has been well established through years of pharmaceutical trials for traditional nicotine replacement therapies like gums and patches. “Research from Public Health England has shown e-cigarettes are 95 per cent safer than cigarettes, without the smell, taste or health impacts of combustible cigarettes. “To provide some perspective on how behind Australia is, hospitals in the UK have started opening vape shops in a bid to help smokers switch, while in New Zealand, the government launched its own ‘Vaping Facts’ website to educate consumers on the benefits of vaping. “It’s time we looked at vaping the same way most other countries in the world do, and help save lives.” TabSol takes on changing industry The Australian tobacco industry, according to tobacco supplier TabSol, has been impacted by “significant changes” in the past 12 to 18 months. These include: • Changes to under-bond warehousing of tobacco products in Australia. • A new method of tobacco excise collection: payable at port on arrival, effective July 1, 2019. • Introduction of newer brands in the sub-value segment. • Proliferation of vape products and the controversy surrounding this. • Consumer brand loyalty erosion as price becomes the key determinant in the purchase decision. • Recent COVID-19-related challenges. The high tobacco excise rates, says TabSol, have made Australian cigarette prices some of the highest in the world, which has encouraged illicit tobacco trade. The general forms of illicit tobacco products in the market include: • Non-plain packaging or coloured tobacco/cigarette packs. • Plain packaging packs that are non- compliant with the legislation, due to packaging, cigarette paper, etc. • Counterfeit packs which are ‘copies’ of existing brands with non- genuine and usually cheaper, lower quality products. • Chop chop which is illegally sourced tobacco leaf or other leaf that is sold as loose tobacco leaf. The common theme across all forms of illicit tobacco products, says TabSol, is that they’re cheap – usually priced lower than the tobacco excise rates. Excise amount for a carton of cigarettes is $208.91 (including GST), according to TabSol, which adds that those being offered any product priced lower than or close to the excise rate need to question whether it’s legal. TabSol opposes the illicit tobacco trade, strongly advising retailers to refrain from buying and selling these products. Instead, the supplier says, providing better value products in chosen consumer segments is the best way. “We identified opportunities within various consumer segments to provide consumers with quality products at value-for-money prices,” TabSol Managing Director Pradeep Kumar said. “It’s time we looked at vaping the same way most other countries in the world do, and help save lives.” MAY/JUN, 2020 CONVENIENCE WORLD