E-mart, GS25 remove liquid e-cigs from shelves

Following the South Korean government’s “strong warning” on the use of liquid-type e-cigarettes over health concerns Wednesday, the country’s major retailers are moving to suspend sales of the related products.

The country’s largest discount chain E-Mart said Thursday it has decided to remove flavored liquid e-cigarettes including Viento’s Ice mango, Water melon and five different flavors, as well as Relx’s Mung Bean ice and Fruits, from its 74 E-Mart, Pierrot Shopping and Electro Mart stores across the nation. 

Convenience chain GS25 said it has stopped selling Juul Labs Korea’s vaping e-cig Tropical, Delight and Crisp, as well as KT&G’s Siid Tundra and three other kinds.

Both retailers said they would suspend sales of such products until the government releases chemical substance analyses on flavored liquid e-cigarettes. 

Recently, concerns have risen especially after a pneumonia case of an e-cigarette user who switched from heat-not-burn to liquid-type e-cigarette was reported earlier this month. 

In the US, health officials have announced plans to remove flavored e-cigarettes from stores across the nation, following 33 deaths and 1,479 confirmed and probable cases from unknown respiratory illness related to vaping.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)