Popular disposable vape brand SKE Crystal has been pulled from sale at One Stop and Booker over concerns the devices contain over the regulatory maximum amount of nicotine liquid.
Yesterday, The Grocer reported that multiple independent lab tests had found SKE Crystal devices to contain significantly more than the permitted 2ml of liquid.
Testing commissioned by tobacco giant BAT of 15 SKE Crystal Blue Razz Lemonade flavoured devices bought at two One Stop stores in Hereford and Worksop, and a Sainsbury’s store in Leeds, found all contained more than 2ml of liquid. In one case, a device had a total fill volume of 3.26ml, more than 60% over the permitted maximum.
Separate testing supplied by a senior industry source 14 SKE Crystal disposable variants – including Watermelon Strawberry Bubblegum, Fresh Menthol Mojito and Bull Ice – found all contained more than 3ml of nicotine juice.
Lab tests of all SKE Crystal SKUs by Adact Medical, commissioned by vape wholesaler Phoenix 2 Retail and shared with The Grocer, found only one flavour variant – Sour Apple – was found to have a non-compliant tank capacity.
One Stop and Booker – which are both owned by Tesco – have temporarily removed three SKE Crystal variants from sale as a precautionary measure while further tests are carried out by its supplier. The flavours pulled from shelves are: Sour Apple, Pink Lemonade and Bull Ice.
It is understood the products will return to shelves when and if One Stop and Booker are confident they are compliant.
SKE Crystal devices continue to be sold at Sainsbury’s and Asda, at the time of writing.
The brand’s devices are manufactured by Shenzhen SKE technology based in Shenzhen, China, with its UK company address given as Ermenegildo Smart Limited, based on an industrial estate in Daventry.
According to company records, Ermenegildo Smart is a dormant company with total assets of £10,000 cash. Its director is 33-year-old Chinese national Runxing Xie.
The company has been approached for comment.
SKE Crystal is the third disposable brand to be removed from sale. Last month ElfBar – the fastest-growing grocery brand in any category last year – were found to contain 50% more than the regulation maximum amount of nicotine liquid and stripped from shelves at Sainsbury’s, Asda, Tesco and Morrisons in the wake of the revelations. Several retailers moved to remove ElfBar-owned Lost Mary devices from sale too.
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