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E-cigarette Retailing in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Robert Maier Robert Maier Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: June 2024 WZ SP47.07DE Spotlight Report

Revenue

€643.8m

2024

€643.8m

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XX.Xm

Employees

3,912

Businesses

902

Wages

€XXX.Xm

E-cigarette Retailing in Germany industry analysis

Over the past five years, e-cigarette retailers have experienced volatile but generally positive sales growth, with industry sales increasing by an average of 2.1% per year since 2019. The industry benefited from increased demand among smokers for supposedly harm-reduced products such as e-cigarettes, which are advertised as a healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes. Unlike traditional tobacco products, the vaporisation of e-cigarette liquid does not produce any combustion products and the amount of nicotine added can be varied. Regardless of the unclear long-term health consequences, this makes e-cigarettes attractive to many people who want to quit the health risks of smoking. < />In the current year, industry sales are expected to total 643.8 million euros, which corresponds to a 22.1% decline in sales compared to the previous year. The background to this development is the current tense overall economic situation and the increased taxes on e-cigarette liquids in the current year. Last spring, many customers were still benefiting from transitional periods in the modernisation of tobacco tax legislation and took advantage of the opportunity to buy tax-free goods in stock. < />Over the next five years, IBISWorld expects industry sales to grow by an average of 1.7% per year and reach 701.1 million euros in 2029. Switching smokers are likely to increase the market potential slightly in the coming years, while the tax increases on tobacco substitutes set to take effect by 2026 are likely to slow down growth. Overall, industry growth is likely to be less dynamic than in the previous five-year period, partly due to ongoing competition from retailers outside the industry.

Trends and Insights

  • In contrast to the traditional cigarette market, the industry is growing. Substitute products such as e-liquids have recently become more popular due to their supposedly less harmful effects compared to tobacco and their availability in many different flavours.
  • The industry generates a significant proportion of its turnover with consumer goods. The sale of disposable devices has increased noticeably in recent years. Users of other e-cigarette systems also regularly require certain items such as liquids or spare parts to operate their devices.
  • The retail trade for e-cigarettes is heterogeneously structured. The specialist trade for e-cigarettes is characterised by small and medium-sized companies that operate both stationary sales outlets and company-owned online shops.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 2.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €643.8m in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The e-cigarette market is growing, but not all retailers are benefiting from this development

  • In contrast to the traditional cigarette market, which has recently been in decline, the market for nicotine-containing and non-nicotine-containing tobacco substitutes is growing.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
E-cigarette Retailing in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Disposable products are likely to disappear in the long term with the new European battery regulation

  • Since their introduction to the European market in 2021 and 2022, disposable e-cigarettes have become very popular, especially among younger consumers and occasional users.

Biggest companies in the E-cigarette Retailing in Germany

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the E-cigarette Retailing in Germany industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

E-cigarette Retailing in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Liquids for e-cigarettes, Disposable devices and Closed systems. Liquids for e-cigarettes is the largest segment of the E-cigarette Retailing in Germany.

Trends and Insights

The industry generates most of its revenue from the sale of liquids for e-cigarettes

  • The top-selling product group in the industry comprises liquids that are required for the use of most e-cigarette systems. This includes ready-to-use e-liquids with and without nicotine, as well as various products such as base liquids, flavours and nicotine shots that are used for self-mixing liquids.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The industry sells e-cigarettes and related accessories to end consumers. E-cigarettes are electronic cigarettes in which a liquid consisting of propylene glycol, glycerine and water is heated and vaporised by a battery-powered heating element instead of tobacco. This so-called liquid can be mixed yourself from various ingredients or purchased as a ready-made mixture and usually contains nicotine and various flavours. Due to their potentially addictive properties, e-cigarettes and liquids fall under tobacco law.

What's included in this industry?

Retail sale of e-cigarettes and accessoriesOnline trade in e-cigarettes and accessories

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

BATTERY PACK CARRIERVAPOUR

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

In contrast to the traditional cigarette market, the industry is growing. Substitute products such as e-liquids have recently become more popular due to their supposedly less...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Factors that influence volatility in the industry
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The industry generates a significant proportion of its turnover with consumer goods. The sale of disposable devices has increased noticeably in recent years. Users of other e...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Purchase this report to unlock analyst insights.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The retail trade for e-cigarettes is heterogeneously structured. The specialist trade for e-cigarettes is characterised by small and medium-sized companies that operate both ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

E-cigarettes are subject to tobacco law. As tobacco substitutes, e-cigarettes and liquids are comprehensively regulated. These key regulations are derived from the Tobacco Pr...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The profit margins of the players are under increasing pressure. Intense competition in the area of disposable devices from alternative sales outlets and competition from onl...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany is €643.8m in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the E-cigarette Retailing in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 902 businesses in the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 2.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What does the E-cigarette Retailing in Germany include?

Retail sale of e-cigarettes and accessories and Online trade in e-cigarettes and accessories are part of the E-cigarette Retailing industry.

How competitive is the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the E-cigarette Retailing industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Tobacconists in Germany

Complementors

  • There are no industries to display.

International industries

  • E-cigarette Manufacturing in the US
  • E-cigarette Manufacturing in the UK

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.