Regional E-Cigarette Market Size Estimates (2016)

North America is by far the largest e-cigarette market, followed by Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, and then the rest of the world. The market share for different products varies in different countries. For example, possibly due to their relatively low cost, cigalikes enjoy a 50% share in a very small market like Azerbaijan, followed by 43% in Austria, 42% in the USA, 39% in China, and 38% in Ecuador. The USA accounts for 70% of the US$500m global market for the relatively new pod mod systems (a system similar to using coffee pods like Nespresso), with only the UK, Italy, Poland, and France having a market share greater than 9%.

In the more mature e-cigarette markets, open systems are still dominant, the top five markets being USA, UK, Italy, Germany and France, followed by China, Russia, Poland, Canada and Malaysia. But, according to Euromonitor analysis, open systems do face future challenges. The analysis speculates that the ability to customise devices is likely to appeal to early adopters, who are frustrated by the inflexibility of cigalikes, which once offered the only safer option. Those early adopters are likely to continue populating the niche market in ultra-flexible devices. However, new products might appeal more to newer consumers who do not want basic cigalikes, but are not interested in customising devices. For those consumers, closed system products are likely to be more attractive, offering both convenience and choice. But it would be wrong to assume that those using safer nicotine products stick to one type of product. Some consumers will use a range of different e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products and snus to suit both their mood and the environment they find themselves in.

See also p. 31 of the report: No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2018 — Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (gsthr.org)