Vaping has become cheaper despite inflation. The average price of e-cigs has decreased by 9.4% compared with the same period last year.

“There is a virtuous circle currently affecting the category,” says Nielsen analyst Paul Lecomte. “The evolution of vaping technology is making it easier for smaller manufacturers to enter the market at lower price points, so vaping becomes an even more attractive alternative to smoking for consumers.”

With a vast amount of flavours available, grocery has stuck to the more traditional options such as tobacco, menthol and popular fruits including apple, blueberry and mango. However, creativity with flavours is helping drive sales growth across all retail channels, says Lecomte.

The big four tobacco manufacturers – BAT, JTI, Imperial Brands and Philip Morris – control the brand share in traditional retail. The largest is BAT’s Ten Motives, with a value of £36.9m, up by 11.6%.

The biggest percentage value growth is coming from smaller names like Edge, which is now worth £7.3m, up by 1,273%, making it the third-biggest brand in value in open vaping systems after Cirro and Blu.

The biggest impact on the entire vaping category has been the rise of specialist stores and online retailers, adds Lecomte. “It’s thought that they have the majority of the market, although the exact number is currently unknown.”