Out of the Box

NOW THAT'S A GOOD IDEA: VPZ

‘Vape Clinic’ focuses squarely on quitters

A NEW 'VAPE CLINIC' SERVICE FROM VPZ, THE UK'S BIGGEST VAPING RETAILER, FOCUSES SQUARELY ON CUSTOMERS TRYING TO QUIT CIGARETTES.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?

A ‘Vape Clinic’ service to help people quit smoking.

WHO’S DOING IT?

VPZ, the UK’s largest vaping retailer.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Many smokers have successfully used vaping to get off the ciggies but this new service is squarely and openly targeted at those keen to quit. The Vape Clinic concept will create a network of ‘Smoking Cessation Coaches’ across its 150-strong UK store footprint, offering expert, personalised advice to customers on cessation. The service is particularly poignant as the NHS has been unable to offer smoking cessation services for more than a year.

WHY NOW?

The launch was prompted in part by a huge increase in demand for sales of the Edinburgh-based company’s ‘New To Vaping’ kit sales. Sales increased by 165% in in the first week of re-opening following the relaxation of lockdown measures. The company believes the uptake and demand for stop smoking services underlines and re-affirms VPZ’s recent calls for vaping stores to be classed as an essential retailer during the pandemic.

WHAT ARE VPZ’S GOALS?

To play its part in helping the UK achieve its ambitions to be a tobaccofree nation by 2030, set out by the Government in 2017.

WHAT ARE VPZ SAYING?

Director Doug Mutter says: “We are investing to help smokers quit and to support the country in its ambition to be a tobacco free nation by 2030. We are excited to be launching the Vape Clinic concept following strong demand and recognising the need for an enhanced level of service since reopening our doors. Our specialists are trained and have expert knowledge, giving our customers a dedicated oneto-one consultation to help smokers begin their quit journey. “The huge reduction in NHS stopsmoking services, through Covid-19 and local authority cuts have been devastating in the country’s efforts to reduce smoking rates. Couple this with the fact that vape stores were deemed unessential has meant that rather than 2020 being the year the country makes massive strides in reducing the number of smokers – we have actually seen an increase and lost huge momentum in the UK’s ambitions to be smoke-free by 2030.

“Smoking rates and consumption are on the rise and there is a real fear that we are sleepwalking into another public health crisis, which really underlines our continued calls for the government to engage with us in relation to vaping stores to be listed as essential retailers.”