Wang Juncheng, general manager of Russian customs clearance company RusSpeed, reminded that if companies want to comply with the products on the shelves of the Russian market, they need to make adequate preparations at least three months in advance.
Electronic Cigarettes, Elf Bar, vape
Since 1 April, Russia has implemented an "honest labelling" policy to regulate the e-cigarette market, requiring wholesale imports of e-cigarettes to upload retail information about their products to the honest labelling system. E-cigarettes that are not labelled will not pass through Russian customs.
More than half a year has passed since the official implementation of the "Honest Label" system, two supreme on 20 November to the Russian local customs clearance company - Russia speed clearing general manager Wang Juncheng, to understand the latest situation of the Russian e-cigarette market.
Wang Juncheng introduction, now the Russian market demand for compliant products, and due to policy reasons, can now go to the market grey customs channels are few. Moreover, since August, the transport time of some grey customs goods has been extended from about 30 days to 2 to 3 months.
In the past two months, the transport volume of Russian compliant logistics companies has increased significantly. Wang Juncheng revealed that the number of clearance tickets for Russian Speed Clear is also three to four times more than before. In addition, the logistics cost of compliant e-cigarettes has also risen, and has now risen from more than RMB 30 to more than RMB 40 per kilogram.
The main reason for the increase in shipments from compliant logisticians is the sharp rise in demand from e-cigarette terminals and distributors, he noted. In the Russian e-cigarette market, most terminal shops, supermarket chains and distributors accept only compliant products. While some shops may sell both compliant and non-compliant products, the rate of compliant products on the shelves is also gradually increasing, with the share reaching as low as 50 per cent.
Wang Juncheng reminded that due to the higher value and tax of compliant products, it is difficult to transport them on a large scale like grey customs products, and they can only be transported in small batches. In addition, the procedures for applying for honest labels for compliant products are relatively cumbersome, while ensuring compliant channels for logistics, distribution and shops also takes a long time. As a result, he said, if companies wish to have compliant products on the shelves in the Russian market, they need to make adequate preparations at least three months in advance.
In addition, Wang Juncheng also revealed that, as far as he knows, Russia will increase the tobacco oil tax in early 2024, by which time the cost of e-cigarette products will double.
