Tobacconists across Spain are urging authorities to crack down on the sale of non-compliant vaping devices after trade data revealed an expansion in grey and black-market transactions. Licensed retailers warn that unregulated products, which frequently breach European safety standards, are draining foot traffic from compliant shops.
Research Estimates Irregular Market at 39 Percent
A 2026 study conducted by Fraunhofer IIS and MRU GmbH estimates that 39% of Spain’s e-cigarette market operates through irregular channels, compared to an average of 48% across the European Union. The study’s model identifies discrepancies by contrasting consumer demand estimates with official import and customs statistics.
Regional industry representatives argue that national data fails to capture the full scale of the issue on the ground. Olivia Escaja, president of the Seville provincial association of the Unión de Estanqueros, noted that local retail reality is far more severe:
“The studies carried out on electronic cigarette smuggling in Spain talk about almost 40 per cent. In Seville, the perception among tobacconists is that there is much more; it could reach 70–80 per cent.”
Local Retail Sales Collapse Under Pressure
The influx of unregulated devices has caused legitimate retail sales to plunge. Antonio Moreno, a tobacconist based in Seville, documented a steep multi-year decline in product turnover despite growing overall consumer demand in his area.
| Year | Units Sold (Store Level) | Market Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 140,000 | Baseline regulated volume |
| 2025 | 85,000 | 39% annual volume drop |
| 2026 (Projected) | 50,000 | 64% total decline from 2024 |
Survey data collected by the Spanish vaping trade association (UPEV) indicates that this trend extends nationwide:
- 38.3% of tobacconists link falling revenue to customers buying illicit goods from nearby establishments.
- 27.8% attribute sales losses to unverified foreign websites.
- 95.8% report seeing illegal, non-compliant vape items sold in neighboring businesses.
Retailers Call for Restricted Sales Channels
Escaja argued that limiting vape sales strictly to authorized outlets would allow inspectors to monitor product safety standards and enforce youth access restrictions. Tobacconists also cautioned that adding new product restrictions without closing illicit supply chains will simply push consumers toward untraceable black-market channels.
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