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Elf Bar

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Elf Bar
A pair of Elf Bar pen devices: a reusable Mate 500 (with an inserted pod) and a single-use lemonade flavour 600
Product typeElectronic cigarette
OwnerZhang Shengwei
Produced byShenzhen iMiracle Technology
CountryChina
Introduced2018
Related brandsLost Mary
TaglineMake it elf, enjoy yourself
Websiteelfbar.com

Elf Bar (stylized ELFBAR, also sold in some markets as EBDesign or EBCreate) is a Chinese brand of electronic cigarettes produced by Shenzhen iMiracle Technology, a part of Heaven Gifts.[1][2] These vapor products are characterized by their fruity flavors and colorful appearance. Elf Bar is, as of 2023, the most popular brand for disposable e-cigarettes in the world.[3] Reusable variants are also marketed.

Products

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The best known Elf Bar e-cig is the disposable Elf Bar 600 which comes with a pre-filled tank of 20mg of nicotine salt in various flavours.[4] Elf Bar BC 500 is a box-style alternative disposable. Its manufacturer also produces a number of reusable and rechargable Elf Bar devices, including the pod-based Mate 500,[5] ELFA,[6] the 1200,[7] and more advanced variants such as the Elf Bar ELFX.

Appearance and flavors

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A lemon-mint Elf Bar branded as EBCreate.

Unlike the Juul, which gained popularity throughout the late 2010s, Elf Bars have a colorful appearance. Many of them have fruity flavors like piña colada, strawberry mango, and lemon mint, and in 2023, the New York Times called Elf Bar the "vape du jour."[8] The aesthetic has been mimicked by similar products, such as Flum Pebble, Juicy Bar, Air Bar Nex, and its sister brand Lost Mary.[8]

According to the Centers for Disease Control's 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, it is the most popular electronic cigarette brand among middle school and high school students who vape.[9] The FDA's tobacco center chief, Brian King, said "if it looks glamorous and it looks appealing, that’s going to be the first driver that will bring a horse to water... the flavors then get them to drink. And the nicotine keeps them coming back for more."[8]

According to psychiatrist Susan Linn, the appearance of Elf Bars is attractive to children and teenagers, who are interested in rounded shapes and colorful items. She compares the marketing to the cigarette mascot Joe Camel, who was made to appeal to young people.[8] There are concerns that the popularity of e-cigarette devices has negated the progress of numerous attempts in the late 20th century to discourage young adults and children from using nicotine products, and has actually increased teenage nicotine consumption in general.[10]

Sales

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A mango flavoured Elf Bar 1500 disposable being used.

Elf Bar has been sold in the United States since November 2021 despite having no authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.[11] Despite its legal status, it is the most popular disposable vape in the United States and the third-best selling e-cigarette overall, behind Vuse and Juul, as of 2023, according to researchers from the CDC and the nonprofit Truth Initiative.[12] Due to a trademark dispute, the Elf Bar name has been dropped and the vapes are now sold as EB Create in the U.S. market.[3]

The brand has become the best-selling for disposables globally, and its manufacturer Shenzhen iMiracle has been expected to generate up to $4 billion in the year 2023.[3]

Elf Bar is also a leading e-cigarette brand in the United Kingdom, making up more than half of disposable vape sales in the country, with its sister brand Lost Mary. These brands sold over £900 million worth of vapes in 12 months, equivalent to around 160 million units, according to NielsenIQ.[13] The Elf Bar 600 had a 55% market share for disposables in 2023 and in second place was its sister product Lost Mary BM500 with 23%,[14] therefore giving a huge overall share for Shenzhen iMiracle. In the market for cartridge based reusables, Elf Bar Mate had a share of 13%, behind Vuse and Juul.[14]

The term "Elf Bar" sometimes refers to counterfeits, which are nearly indistinguishable.[15]

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In early 2020, the FDA imposed legislation to restrict the flavors of reusable vapes to menthol and tobacco – an effort that targeted companies such as Juul. However, the flavor restriction did not apply to disposable vapes. Elf Bar hit shelves in the US by November 2021, sold in flavors like cotton candy.[12]

Elf Bar devices have not received authorization from the Food and Drug Administration and are not legally permitted to be sold in the United States.[16] In May 2023, US Customs seized shipments of disposable electronic cigarettes including Elf Bar that had arrived at US ports.[12]

The FDA has taken steps to stop stores from distributing the product. On 22 June 2023, the FDA sent warning letters to 189 retailers selling fruit and candy-flavored disposable vapes, such as Elf Bar.[12]

Corporate operations

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At the 2022 GT World Challenge Asia, Elf Bar sponsored a team from Hong Kong.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "China e-cigarette titan behind 'Elf Bar' floods the US with illegal vapes". Reuters. 6 December 2023.
  2. ^ Practice, Advertising Standards Authority | Committee of Advertising. "Imiracle (HK) Ltd". www.asa.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Elf Bar and other e-cigarette makers dodged US customs and taxes after China's ban on vaping flavors". AP News. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  4. ^ "What is behind Gen Z's Elf Bar obsession?". The Independent. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  5. ^ ElfBar. "ElfBar Strengthens Ties with UK Costumers through Ad Campaign on London Double-Deckers and Billboards". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  6. ^ Sophie (3 October 2022). "Vape consumers switching to disposable pod systems | Scottish Grocer & Convenience Retailer". scottishgrocer.co.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  7. ^ Retailing, Better (13 May 2024). "ELFBAR launches 2-in-1 pod vaping device". Better Retailing. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d Holtermann, Callie (6 November 2023). "Vapes Get a Gen Z Makeover". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  9. ^ Birdsey, Jan (2023). "Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2023". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 72 (44): 1173–1182. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7244a1. ISSN 0149-2195. PMC 10629751. PMID 37917558.
  10. ^ Sapru, S.; Vardhan, M.; Li, Q.; Guo, Y.; Li, X.; Saxena, D. (2020). "E-cigarettes use in the United States: reasons for use, perceptions, and effects on health". BMC Public Health. 20 (1): 1518. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09572-x. PMC 7545933. PMID 33032554.
  11. ^ "Elf Bar finds an easy way around US vape import ban: a name change". AP News. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d "FDA warns stores to stop selling Elf Bar, the top disposable e-cigarette in the US". AP News. 22 June 2023. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  13. ^ King, Ben (30 November 2023). "Elfbar: Top vape firm drops sweet flavours over appeal to kids". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  14. ^ a b https://ash.org.uk/uploads/Use-of-e-cigarettes-among-adults-in-Great-Britain-2023.pdf
  15. ^ "Thousands of unauthorized vapes are pouring into the US despite the FDA crackdown on fruity flavors". AP News. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  16. ^ "FDA warns stores to stop selling Elf Bar, the top disposable e-cigarette in the US". AP News. 22 June 2023. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  17. ^ "A Premier Collaboration Between X WORKS Racing and ELFBAR". Business Wire. 19 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
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