EU limits on nicotine levels are making Juul and similar products less effective as alternatives to cigarettes for smokers, a senior executive at Juul told Reuters in an interview coinciding with Juul’s launch in Ireland.
The EU limits nicotine to 20 milligrams per milliliter of liquid compared with a limit of 59 mg in the U.S.
Juul’s U.S. market share increased from 13.6 percent in early 2017 to more than 75 percent by the end of last year, according to a Wells Fargo analysis of Nielsen retail data.
The company is trying to replicate that success internationally, with a target of global sales eclipsing U.S. sales within five years.
Legal nicotine limits may reduce the appeal of Juul in some countries, however.
Juul plans to launch in multiple Asian locations in 2019 and the Middle East and Africa in 2020 and 2021.
“There is no one who is not on our radar if you look forward next four-five years,” said Grant Winterton, president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Juul.