Waitrose announced today that it would stop selling single-use vaping products.
We had already decided that we would not participate in the rapidly expanding market for vaping devices that are brightly coloured, fashionable, and only used once.
However, as of recently, we have also delisted imitation cigarettes containing lithium, which are products that we have traditionally marketed and sold under the Ten Motives brand name.
The market for single-use vaporizers has expanded at a rapid rate over the past year, with an increasing number of young people who do not smoke vaping drawn in by the bright colours and flavour profiles that are reminiscent of sweet beverages and baked goods.
Even though we have strong controls in place thanks to our Challenge 25 Policy, we are concerned about the risk that these products pose because of their appeal to younger people, in addition to the impact they have on the environment.
This decision was made in light of recent reports that the expansion of the market is being fueled by the popularity of the product among people who have never smoked before.
This move comes at a time when there are growing concerns about the impact that disposable vaping devices, which contain both plastics and valuable lithium, are having on the environment.
It is estimated that they are responsible for approximately 10 tonnes of this metal collectively, all of which could be used to make car batteries but instead end up in landfills each year.
“We are a retailer driven by doing the right thing, so selling single use vapes is not something we could justify given the impact on both the environment and the health of young people,” said Charlotte Di Cello, Commercial Director for Waitrose. “We are a retailer driven by doing the right thing.”
“We had already decided it wasn’t right to stock the fashionable bright coloured devices which are seeing rapid growth – so this decision is the final jigsaw piece in our clear decision not to be part of the single use vaping market.”
“This decision is the final jigsaw piece in our clear decision not to be part of the single use vaping market.”
Contact Details:
For more information please contact:
Gill Smith, Senior Communications Manager, Media Relations 07887898133
About the John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain’s best-loved retail brands – John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical experiment over a century ago, the Partnership is now the largest employee-owned business in the UK, with over 80,000 employees who are all Partners in the business.
The Partnership is purpose-driven, existing to create a fairer and more sustainable future for our Partners, customers, suppliers and communities.
Our Purpose not only inspires our principles, drives our decisions and acts as our guide to be a force for good, it steers us to do things differently and better – all in service of creating a happier world for everyone and everything we touch.
Waitrose
Waitrose & Partners has 331 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 59 convenience branches, 27 shops at Welcome Break locations, and Waitrose.com – its fast-growing online shopping business, consistently rated highly by independent research.
The retailer combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop – dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced, combined with high standards of customer service. As part of an employee-owned business, all Partners have a say in how the business is run.
