Thursday 01 December 2016 1:04 pm

British American Tobacco’s newest e-cigarette has been launched in the UK

A new electronic cigarette has launched in the UK from tobacco giant British American Tobacco (BAT) designed for consumers who've written off vaping.

Vype Pebble, BAT's release, follows a launch by rival Philip Morris as the companies step up their stakes in the alternative cigarette market.

Vype's researchers targeted consumers looking for something different from traditional cigarette-shaped or bulky vapour devices.

The result was a "stylish" but "discreet" product in a range of bright colours that still has the power of other e-cigarettes, said BAT's scientific research and development director David O'Reilly.

BAT said their pocket-sized device has four different levels of nicotine, including none, and six flavour options including tobacco, mint and vanilla.

Based on all available science, O'Reilly said this high-quality vapour product is about 95 per cent safer than cigarette smoking. BAT conducted "rigorous" testing to meet quality standards, he said.

Kingsley Wheaton, managing director for next-generation products at BAT said:

“Our strategy is to offer consumers a range of quality nicotine products from cigarettes, to vapour, through to tobacco heating products."

BAT has invested $1bn over the course of five years to research and develop its next-generation products.

Several safer alternative products are in the works, O'Reilly said, including vapour products, nicotine products, tobacco heating products, and hybrids.

Glo, a tobacco heating product, will be launched in Japan next month, and next year the group will launch a new vapour technology that will be more similar to a cigarette in terms of nicotine satisfaction and flavour.

BAT has also opened its first Vype store in Milan.