Walmart is getting out of the vaping business.
The nationB次元官网网址檚 largest retailer said Friday that it will stop selling electronic cigarettes at its namesake stores and SamB次元官网网址檚 Clubs in the U.S. when it sells out its current inventory.
It said the move is due to B次元官网网址済rowing federal, state and local regulatory complexityB次元官网网址� regarding vaping products. It also comes after several hundred people have mysteriously fallen ill after vaping, and eight have died.
WalmartB次元官网网址檚 decision is the latest blow to the vaping industry, which has tried to position its products as healthier alternatives to smoking cigarettes, which are responsible for 480,000 deaths a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
READ MORE:
But the industry has come under increased scrutiny after the deaths and illnesses B次元官网网址� along with a surge in underage vaping.
President Donald Trump has proposed a federal ban on flavoured e-cigarettes and vaping products. Michigan banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes this week. In June, San Francisco became the first major U.S. city to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes.
The bulk of e-cigarettes are sold through vape shops, which number about 115,000 nationwide, with additional outlets including drug stores, grocery stores and tobacco outlets, industry experts say.
E-cigarettes represent a very small part of WalmartB次元官网网址檚 nicotine business, which also includes traditional cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and nicotine gum, so the impact on the retailer will be small.
But, it will be difficult for vaping companies to replace that access to shoppers given WalmartB次元官网网址檚 size, said Greg Portell, global lead partner in the consumer and retail practice of A.T. Kearney, a strategy and management consulting firm. Walmart operates more than 5,000 stores under its namesake and SamB次元官网网址檚 Club in the U.S.
B次元官网网址淲almartB次元官网网址檚 size and scale makes their decisions about what products to carry meaningful for the impacted products,B次元官网网址� Portell said. B次元官网网址淰aping companies will be especially challenged given the lack of direct consumer access.B次元官网网址�
The Vapor Technology Association, a trade group, was quick to slam WalmartB次元官网网址檚 move against vaping products while keeping cigarettes on its shelves.
B次元官网网址淭he fact that Walmart is reducing access for adult smokers to regulated vapour products while continuing to sell combustible cigarettes is irresponsible,B次元官网网址� Tony Abboud, executive director of the association, said in a statement. B次元官网网址淭his will drive former adult smokers to purchase more cigarettes.B次元官网网址�
More than 500 people have been diagnosed with breathing illnesses after using e-cigarettes and other vaping devices, according to U.S. health officials. An eighth death was reported this week. But health officials still have not identified the cause.
The Associated Press
Like us on and follow us on
