Icos market share down to 50 percent! Market share of "actually used" heated tobacco devices, as determined by a survey of 1,322 respondents.

It may be a small change in our daily lives now, but the "cigarette tax hike" implemented in October 2021 was an event that gave smokers a lot to think about.

This is because the annual price increase (cigarette tax hike + consumption tax hike) has continued since 2018, and finally hit the 600 yen per box mark in October 2021.

There were a variety of movements, including those who decided to quit smoking cigarettes, those who switched from the brand they had been smoking to a less expensive brand, those who moved from paper cigarettes to heated cigarettes, and those who switched to another heated cigarette.

In such a situation, there has been active movement in the heated cigarette category, although it is not "pinch to opportunity." Companies are introducing new models, adding new flavors, and adjusting sales prices, and the battle for market share has not stopped.

A few years ago, the category leader, Icos, was said to have a 70% market share.

Therefore, we conducted a survey on the market share of each heated cigarette brand as of December 2021.

This report also includes a survey on the reasons for choosing each brand of device.

This is only a reference value due to the small population, but we would appreciate it if you could check it.

Survey Summary and Introduction

A web-based survey of unspecified adult men and women was conducted.

The two questions were "most frequently used heated tobacco device" and "reasons for using that device".

We look at the market share of Icos, Glow, Plume, and other cigarette brands.

The second question also revealed the brand's strengths and weaknesses, which we will also discuss.

• Market Research Methodology for Heated Cigarettes
• Heated Cigarette Market Share by Brand
• Reasons for using heated tobacco devices
• Summary of market share of each brand (manufacturer) of heated cigarettes

method of investigation

Marketing Applications, Inc. provides Internet research tools and services.surveyoroidThe survey was conducted at

As a pre-screening survey, we collected responses from 7,223 people regarding their smoking status and use of heated cigarettes,1,465 smokers and users of heated cigarettes were surveyed..

As a result, we received responses from 1,322 respondents, and the results are shared in this article.

Respondent Attributes n=1,322

Of the 1,322 responses, 81.81 TP3T were from males and 18.21 TP3T were from females.

Their generational breakdown is as follows.

Many of the male respondents were in their 30s and 40s, and many of the female respondents were in their 30s.

The number of female respondents in their 50s and older was zero due to the small number of respondents.

Share by Brand

Q1 Which of the following heated tobacco devices do you use most often?(single answer)

Since many people use multiple devices these days, this survey was limited to the "most frequently used devices.

The results are shown in the table,IQOSis the most common, but the percentage has decreased considerably to 53.41 TP3T.

Plume and Glow have grown in market share..

The Plume brand results include low-temperature heating systems, but the combined low-temperature and high-temperature results are slightly higher than Glow's 22.51 TP3T.
*Pals and ARC-X were omitted because there were less than 5 responses.

Breakdown of IQOS brands n=706

The usage rate of each Icos product is shown in the figure, but what is amazing is the penetration of the latest models.

Although many people still use the older model (with blades) Icos 3 series, about 40% of the respondents said they use the Icos Ilma series.

It is amazing that it is selling so well despite its price point (around 10,000 yen), which is by far the highest compared to other companies' devices.

Breakdown of Ploom brands n=314

Only Plume offers both cold-heated and hot-heated devices, with a 7:3 split.

Looking at the market share of just the high-temperature heating type, which is the same as other companies, the market share is still low at 6.71 TP3T, and the key will be how well the new Plume-X is able to spread.
*(sum of plumex and es)/(population) 88÷1322=6.7%

The results also reveal that the share of cold-heated cigarettes in the total heated cigarette market is less than 20%, as the Plume brand is the only one that offers the cold-heated type.
*(Total of Plume Tec series)/(Population) 226÷1322=17.1%

Breakdown of glo brands n=297

Glow comes in two types: the Hyper Series, which uses thicker sticks, and the Pro Series, which uses conventional thin sticks, but so far the Hyper Series has been found to be more common.

However, as we will see later, when we look at the reasons for choosing the Glow Hyper Series, the majority of respondents cited price as the reason compared to others.

This is the result of BAT's sales strategy in 2021.

Reasons for using the device

Q2 Which of the following is the reason for using the device you chose in question 1? (Multiple answers)

The top 5 reasons for using a device were (1) taste, (2) manufacturer, (3) design, (4) familiarity, and (5) price.

Design, brand, and manufacturer were the most frequently cited reasons, revealing a strong tendency to focus on image over price.

Cross-tabulation of the reasons for using each product also revealed a variety of characteristics.

Using this result as a baseline, the reasons for each device are shown as plus or minus, so that it is easy to understand the strengths of that device.

Please note that this question does not ask about "unsatisfactory points," so it is not negative = unsatisfactory, but only that they are not perceived as good points.
*Pals and ARC-X were omitted because there were less than 5 responses.

Icos Irma(Standard model)Reason for choosing n=324

The first design aspect received by far the highest evaluation, while the other items were almost average.

The price aspect (price of the unit, dedicated cigarettes) is still not appreciated.

Icos Irma Prime(Flagship model)Reason for choosing n=92

The "familiarity" category is low due to the newest model, but all other categories are above average except for price.

The difference from other Icos was that the brand and manufacturer items were also above average, indicating that users have become loyal customers.

Icos 3 Duo(Latest model with blades)Reason for choosing n=350

Most users of the Icos 3 Duo chose "because I am used to it," followed by "taste," which was higher than average.

Overall, the impression is dry, and although the price point has become cheaper with the introduction of the new model, it still does not seem to be appreciated.

Icos 3 Multi(All-in-one model)Reason for choosing n=158

The only all-in-one machine, the Multi, is an older model, but it stands out in three areas: design, taste, and familiarity.

A well-balanced device with no items significantly below average.

Icos 2.4 Plus(Discontinued model)Reason for choosing n=135

Similar results to the Icos 3 Duo, with "familiarity" topping the list.

Overall, the device is average, but it is the only device in the Icos series where the "cheapness of the unit" is a plus.

Plume-X(The latest model of JT high-temperature heating system)Reason for choosing n=89

As with the Aicos Irma Prime, the overall satisfaction with the device is high.

What was disappointing was that the design aspect was not well received from these results. On the contrary, what was good was that the "taste," which had been an issue, was rated slightly above average.

Plume S 2.0(Discontinued model)Reason for choosing n=56

The "low price of the unit" and "low price of the exclusive cigarettes" stand out as being above average.

It is too late now since the product is already sold out, but the fact that it is below average in many categories may have forced its demise.

Plume Tech Plus With(The latest model of JT low-temperature heating system)Reason for choosing n=144

The results are a bit strange, with "cheapness of dedicated cigarettes" and "brand" being the outstandingly high numbers.

Conversely, the taste, which had been rated positively in the previous model, was also down significantly, suggesting that many people may be shifting from high-temperature heating systems. It is assumed that many people are shifting from high-temperature heating systems.

Plume Tech Plus(Older model of the Wiz)Reason for choosing n=107

Overall, the food is average, but only the taste rating is off the charts.

The "familiarity" item was also positive, which we believe is a result of many users being satisfied with the product and continuing to use it for a long time.

plume tec(The first model with low-temperature heating)Reason for choosing n=73

Overall, it is average, but the taste rating is not so great.

The other items were also quite high, about 41 TP3T, and the results show a glimpse of other motives for use, such as not feeling like a smoker, but thinking about health aspects...trying to quit smoking....

Glow Hyper Plus(The latest model of the fat stick)Reason for choosing n=134

The low price of the unit is number one among all products, and the taste rating is almost average, giving the impression that it is not only cheap.

Like Plume-X, I am concerned that the design aspect is not well received.

glow hyper(Older model with thicker sticks)Reason for choosing n=126

The price point is as high as the Glow Hyper Plus, but the design and taste are largely negative.

It does not seem to be very satisfactory.

Glow Pro Slim(The newest model of thin sticks)Reason for choosing n=33

Overall, the Glow Pro Slim is average, but it is the only one in the entire Glow series to receive high marks in two areas: design and taste.

Other items were also average, indicating a high level of user satisfaction.

Glow Pro(Older model with thin sticks)Reason for choosing n=101

The fact that it has been on the market for two years adds to the "familiarity" of the model, and the low price of 980 yen is also highly rated.

The low evaluation of the design and the low brand image were the most noticeable results.

Other Glow Products(Discontinued model)Reason for choosing n=37

Since this is a group of models that have already been discontinued, the evaluation is centered on inexpensiveness and familiarity.

The result was closest to "I use them because they are inexpensive.

Summary of market share of each brand (manufacturer)

What is the share of devices that are actually used frequently,IQOS53.41 TP3T,pleuronM23.8%,grotesqueThe result was 22.5%..

Finally, we will examine the demographics of each brand user by comparing them to the demographics of the respondents introduced at the beginning of this section.

Users of each brand were as follows.

Composition of Icos users n=706

Icos, which has the largest market share at 53.41 TP3T, received overall high marks for design and taste.

The brand is universally accepted by all generations, but is particularly popular among women and those in their thirties.

We speculate that the low level of support among 20-somethings is due to the price of the device.

Composition of plume users n=314

As you can see, the Plum brand is overwhelmingly supported by people in their 20s and 30s.

The decrease in users as the age group gets older may be due to the fact that Plume-X does not pick up on aspects related to "taste" such as the smoking experience.

This was a unique composition, as three-quarters of the respondents were cold-heated.

Composition of Glow users n=297

The composition is the exact opposite of the Plum brand, with support from those in their 50s and older being by far the strongest result.

The price advantage may be lowering the transition hurdle to include paper rolls as well.

Conversely, support from those in their 20s and 30s, who place more emphasis on brand and design, was the lowest.

postscript

How was it? A few years ago, Icos was the sole leader in the market share, but the gap has narrowed considerably.

There were various reasons for using each brand's product as the main product, and we were able to learn anew what aspects of the product are highly valued.

I am sure you may have some opinions such as "I feel differently when I actually go to a smoking place..." but I would appreciate it if you could inspect this as one of the indicators.

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