Excitement around the e-cig category will be curbed as new Government legislation will prevent suppliers from launching new products into the market for up to six months.

From November e-cigarette manufacturers will have to present research to the Government before introducing a new product.

The Government could then withhold its launch for six months, slowing down the e-cigs category.

Tom Slater, emerging products manager at JTI, said the legislation will not have any effects on the end product, but could see a slower rate of new lines being made available.

“If we wanted to launch a different flavour and we thought about it in December this year, we’d probably have to wait until June before we were allowed to put it into market,” he said.

Retailers should prepare for an increase in new products ahead of November as any products that are launched before that deadline will be unaffected.

“We’re expecting things to move forward before November, after that it will slow down a fair bit and be staggered, rather than a free-flow succession of products,” he said.