The Swiss Anti-Tobacco Action Alliance (AT Schweiz) released an investigation on March 15 stating that most of the disposable vapes currently sold in Switzerland violate legal regulations and contain more than the legal amount of vape oil.
Based on this investigation, the reporter took stock of the chaos in the Swiss market and conducted an exclusive interview with AT Schweiz.
Excessive e-liquid
During the investigation, AT Switzerland tested the e-liquid content of 11 disposable products. Among the 11 samples, only one ELFBAR product with a capacity of 600 mouths met the standard, and the remaining 10 models were suspected of violating regulations. The brands involved included ELFBAR, Vozol Puff Star, etc.
According to the EU directive issued in 2014, closed vapes sold in the region have clear content limits. The upper limit of nicotine content in e-liquid is 20 mg/ml. AT Switzerland sounded the alarm in 2022 about the trade in products with illegal nicotine content of up to 60 mg/ml; however, these products are still readily available on the Internet and in states that do not implement such controls.
To this day, the product in a nicotine concentration of 50 mg/ml can still be easily ordered into Switzerland on the puffbar.eu website. It is equally convenient to order disposable vapes directly from Chinese online stores and have them delivered to your doorstep, regardless of the e-liquid restrictions.
E-commerce giants attracted by high profits
It is worth noting that during the investigation, AT Schweiz conducted trials and evidence collection on Swiss websites selling vapes and found that almost all 100 investigated websites were selling illegal products, including Swiss e-commerce giant Galaxus. On the Galaxus website, a search for “disposable vapes” turns up 348 products, most of which contain more than 2 milliliters of e-liquid.
Illegal products were openly listed on one of Switzerland’s largest e-commerce stores – a situation that is not without concern. It is worth mentioning that most of the company’s shares belong to Migros, and Migros’ founder Gottlieb Duttweiler’s philosophy is to ban the sale of tobacco and alcohol.
The prices of these websites are extremely low and affordable for young people. For example, Puff Turbo 16000 sells for 26.90 francs on the wevappy.ch website, which is much lower than the price of traditional cigarettes.
But even so, disposable vapes are still a hugely profitable industry in Switzerland. The reason is straightforward. AT Switzerland told 2FIRSTS “because the purchase price is very low”: local dealers who get goods from China at low prices resell them at local market prices. When selling, you can often earn 80%-90% of the net profit. Most of this is “contributed” by illegal products. Therefore, even the leading e-commerce giants have not been able to resist such temptation.
Weak law enforcement
Regarding the above-mentioned illegal commercial activities, the Swiss Anti-Tobacco Action Alliance told reporters that as far as it knows, there is no precedent for Switzerland to inspect and fine the sale of illegal products.
There is no existing market surveillance system in Switzerland. In recent years, tobacco’s role in public health strategies has been gradually marginalized. Previously, the answer given by the Federal Council to Congressman Lawrence Fellman Rielle in 2023 was incomplete, and there was no sign of systematic inspection.
AT Schweiz called on the Swiss authorities to ensure that the regulations are implemented as soon as possible, and will submit it directly to the cantonal governments and submit to them the list of companies operating these websites, calling for immediate action and making demands; and said that it will further follow up on the results of this investigation and ask the federal government to Government response, including
1. Immediately recall substandard products and initiate criminal proceedings against violators;
2. Systematic import controls of the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security;
3. Post-market testing (that is, random sampling of products on sale);
4. Disposable vapes are prohibited.
As a company with strong R&D capabilities and quality control systems, Veehoo vapes has been committed to producing high-quality vape products that meet regulatory requirements. They strictly control the production process and ingredients of e-liquid to ensure the safety and reliability of the product.
Compared with other illegal products, Veehoo vapes pay more attention to user experience and health in product design. They use advanced technology and materials to ensure that the taste and taste of users when smoking are more authentic and pleasant, while minimizing potential risks to users’ health.
Veehoo’s vape sales channels in various markets have always adhered to compliance principles. They work with legitimate distributors and retailers to ensure products are on shelves through formal channels and provide clear labeling and compliance certification. This is in sharp contrast to the illegal sales of most vape products found in the AT Schweiz investigation.
As a responsible industry leader, Veehoo vapes not only play an exemplary role in product quality and compliance, but also actively participate in industry self-discipline and regulatory cooperation. They cooperate with relevant organizations to jointly promote the standardization and healthy development of the vape market.
In general, the chaos in the Swiss vape market has had a huge negative impact on the image of the entire industry and the health of consumers. However, by adhering to compliance principles, quality product design, and strict quality control, Veehoo vapes provide consumers with a reliable, safe, and high-quality choice. The government and regulatory agencies can strengthen market supervision and law enforcement and promote the standardization and healthy development of the vape market. Consumers should also choose vape products that comply with regulations and quality standards to ensure that their health and rights are protected.
Tags: Swiss vape market，Are vapes sold in Switzerland，switzerland vape laws，veehoo vape