What e-liquid flavors do Canadian users like? Zinwi takes you to explore the Canadian e-cigarette market!

Canada, one of the world's top three e-cigarette markets, has drawn the attention of e-cigarette manufacturers around the world. To gain a better understanding of this market's current status and future trends, we conducted in-depth research into the preferences of Canadian e-cigarette consumers, with the hope of providing strong support for our clients' business decisions.

Our research reveals that e-cigarette users in Canada have a strong preference for certain flavors. Among the most popular flavors are fruit. Other flavors include menthol, tobacco, desserts, candy, and beverages.

Canadian market size:

Regulatory landscape:

Since October 2022, the federal government has imposed a consumption tax on e-cigarette products in Canada. The tax applies to all e-cigarette-related products manufactured or imported into the country, including e-cigarette devices. The excise duty introduces a tax of CAD1 per 2 ml of e-liquids for the first 10 ml of e-liquid in the vaping device or refill bottle. For amounts over the first 10 ml, the tax is CAD1 per 10 ml.

A flavour ban on e-cigarette products may come into effect in 2023. The ban prohibits the addition of any flavourings to e-cigarette products except for tobacco and menthol/mint. Currently, the ban has been implemented in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Prince Edward Island. Quebec, a province with a population four times that of these provinces combined, has also recently begun to officially implement a flavor ban. British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario have implemented partial flavour bans, allowing only e-cigarette specialty shops to sell other flavour products, while other stores such as convenience stores and fuel stations are prohibited from selling other flavours.

Retail channels:

E-cigarette shops are the most popular retail channel in Canada, with the number of e-cigarette shops increasing nationwide except in provinces that have implemented the flavour ban. In Canada, e-cigarette products can be purchased not only from specialty stores but also from convenience stores and gas stations, making offline purchases more convenient. However, vapers in provinces with a full flavour ban are more likely to use online channel. This may mean that online sales will see a significant increase after the national flavour ban is implemented.

***2023 Q2 research data from best-selling branded products from the following 5 popular websites: 180smoke.ca, canvape.com, dashvapes.com, fatpanda.ca, vapevine.ca; total 2023 Q2 product samples 5,173;

Among the best-selling products

Growth trend of different types of products

Among the best-selling products

Percentage of different nicotine types

Among the best-selling products

Flavor complexity as a percentage 

Among the best-selling products

Percentage of major flavor categories and secondary segments

In best-selling products

Flavor elements that appear more frequently

Zinwi Canadian market flavor recommendations

Based on our research, we recommend that e-cigarette manufacturers focus on developing and promoting fruit and mint flavors to capture a significant share of the Canadian market. Additionally, e-cigarette manufacturers should keep an eye on regulations and adapt their product offerings accordingly. Our findings provide valuable insights into the Canadian e-cigarette market and can help businesses make informed decisions to improve sales and market share.