The share of the illegal e-cigarette market in Ukraine is 93%
5 October 04:08
The share of the illegal e-cigarette market in Ukraine is 93%.
According to RBC-Ukraine, this is evidenced by a study of the e-cigarette market in Ukraine, which was conducted in July-August 2025 by Kantar Ukraine on behalf of the largest tobacco manufacturers in Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
In the e-cigarette category, the share of illegal products is 93.6%. The highest level of illegality is in the segment of disposable devices and cigarettes with reusable cartridges, where the share of illegal products is close to 100%.
The main characteristic of illegal e-cigarettes in Ukraine is a different flavor from tobacco (61%). Also, more than a quarter of the products on the market have an inappropriate cartridge volume/number of puffs and/or type of liquid. At least one in five products does not have a nicotine level indication on the packaging/vial/cartridge or product. Only 50% of the products had excise stamps on them.
“Illegal products are identified by many features. So if one of the indicators does not meet the requirements and current legislation, such products are considered illegal. In the case of e-cigarettes, we see a record high level of illegality – more than 90% of the market,“ comments Tetiana Sverdlyk, analyst at Kantar Ukraine.
When it comes to the structure of the e-cigarette market, it looks like this:
- Disposable e-cigarettes – 28%;
- E-cigarettes with replaceable disposable cartridges – 15%;
- Vapes with a built-in refillable tank – 18%;
- Electronic cigarettes with replaceable reusable cartridges – 39%.
Purchase channels in the e-cigarette category
Regardless of the type of system used, about a quarter of the audience purchases e-cigarettes online. Two-thirds of buyers buy offline (75.4%), 23.6% buy online.
Major manufacturers
In the segment ofdevices and cartridges , two-thirds of the market is controlled by three leading Chinese manufacturers, which own the top 3 brands – Smoore (Vaporesso brand), VapeOnly (Elf Bar brand), Woody Vapes (Voopoo brand).
The e-liquid market is characterized by a different structure – it is dominated by one major player, Chaser Lab, and numerous local manufacturers, including Octolab, Liquid Lab, and Flavorlab, are active.
