NEWS
27 JUNE 2025 ASIAN TRADER 5
Leading vape retailer
VPZ said it has written
to both the UK and
Scottish health
secretaries to request
urgent talks.
VPZ alleged that
retailers across the UK
continue to sell
banned single-use
disposable vapes,
despite the govern
ment legislation that came
into force on 1 June.
In the letter, the vaping
specialist expressed deep
concern that non-compliant,
and high-capacity disposable
vapes remain widely
available, noting that this is
undermining public health
efforts, fuelling youth
vaping, and the environmen
tal impact.
The legislation was
introduced to remove these
devices from the market
- particularly those that
appeal to youths through
colourful branding and high
nicotine levels.
However, VPZ
said it has
identified dozens
of retailers across
the UK still
selling the
banned products,
raising serious
questions about
enforcement and
regulatory
oversight.
“We are now past
the government’s own
deadline, and yet these
banned products are
still being sold openly
in shops across the
UK,” Jamie Strachan,
operations director at
VPZ, said.
VPZ claimed that
independent retailers
are taking advantage of £200
fines and reiterated their call
for the fines to start at
£10,000.
Disposable vape sales persist
post-ban, VPZ says
The bottle you’re missing
The bottle you’re missing
from your in-store booze
from your in-store booze
shelf
shelf
Nick Gillett is
Co-founder and
Managing
Director of
successful spirits
distributor
Mangrove Global, as well as an
industry expert and
commentator. In his column for
this issue, Nick reminds us of
what a delicious and versatile
liquid Vermouth is – and
explains why it’s worth
stocking
It’s a real workhorse for at-home
cocktail making; a delicious choice for
many cool, cultured customers; and I
can guarantee many of you are missing
it from your in-store booze selection.
It’s Vermouth. Hundreds of years old,
and a key ingredient of Martinis,
Negronis, and Manhattans, this
fabulous, fortified wine is once again
having a moment in the on-trade, and
we’re now seeing consumers get in on
the action too.
You see, as well as being a key
cocktail ingredient, Vermouth is great
when paired with a simple mixer like
soda and has a flavour profile similar to
the liqueurs often used in spritzes.
That’s part of its new-found appeal, as
is the fact it’s a lower-ABV option and
caters to customers practicing
moderation.
So, how do you go about choosing
the right Vermouth for your shelf?
With hundreds of years of history
behind it, you want to look for a spirit
that’s imbued with provenance.
Brands like Dolin are distilled in the
region where it all began, right at the
foot of the Alpine hills, at the
French-Italian border. Look for one
from this region and choose a brand
that has protections in place that
guard the traditional ingredients and
processes of distillation – because
making Vermouth truly is an artform.
To master the sale, provide a bit of
education around the spirit, and
suggest a serve or two for customers
to enjoy. Yes – it’s Europe’s best kept
secret spirit, but one that wins the
hearts of drinkers as well as their
tastebuds. Give it a try!
Back-to-office culture is
fuelling a growing “sweet
treat economy”, with
office workers now
spending an estimated
£57 million a week on
chocolates, according to a
recent report, thus
driving footfall and sales
across local shops, cafés,
and high street stores.
New data shows that
despite 82% of people adjust
ing their spending habits at the
start of this year, largely due to
rising costs, office perks and
in-person work culture are
contributing to an uptick in
spending.
More than half (54%) of
workers are more likely to buy
sweet treats and snacks when
in the office compared to work
ing from home, with 52%
treating themselves as a
reward for going into the office
and 24 per cent buying more in
the past three months.
Many Brits treat them
selves to little indulgences
“most days” when working in
the office. The most common
treats for workers to consume
most days they work at their
desks are coffee (49%), soft
drinks (47%), sweets and
chocolates (40%) and break
fast items (40%).
The top chocolate
bars purchased when in
the office are Cadbury
Dairy Milk (21%), KitKat
(15%), Cadbury Twirl
(10%), Kinder Bueno
(10%), and Galaxy (9%).
For many workers,
treating themselves
during office hours is
about more than just
consumption; 38% say it helps
boost their energy, 37% use it
to improve their mood, and
34% see it as an opportunity to
take a break from work.
Recognising the impor
tance of treats in the office to
workers, up to a third of
businesses have increased
office perks and amenities,
including drinks, snacks and
even pizza.
Office workers spend £57m a week on chocolates
‘Sweet treat economy’ booms
‘Sweet treat economy’ booms
NEWS/COMMENT