The Nicotine Pouch Report: Nicotine Alternatives in The UK
The Nicotine Pouch Report 2024 is produced by Haypp in collaboration with Northerner and Vape Globe. The report aims to create an evidence base on the UK’s nicotine consumption and nicotine pouch use.
The survey uncovered new information on topics such as consumption, consumer behaviour and understanding, purchasing choices, opinions on social acceptability and harm, and response to potential law changes.
Key Findings
When it comes to harmfulness of products, it is widely known that smoking cigarettes is harmful to consumers. But what do consumers think about alternative products? As vapes are one of the most commonly used products, the survey questioned whether people think vapes are more harmful, just as harmful or less harmful than cigarettes. Over two thirds of the UK, 68%, think vapes are less harmful than cigarettes and 29% think vapes are as harmful or more harmful than cigarettes.
Currently, the NHS evidence suggests vapes are less harmful than smoking tobacco products, but they aren't risk free. So while many Brits are clued up on this information, there is still a considerable amount of people who are unaware of the correct guidance.
A Way to Quit Smoking Cigarettes
While vapes are a popular choice for alternatives, nicotine pouches are also commonly used, especially as a way to quit smoking cigarettes. The survey showed that 58% of current nicotine pouch users use pouches because it feels healthier, 50% say pouches helped them quit smoking and 69% started nicotine pouches as a way to quit vapes.
The use of nicotine pouches is clearly effective amongst Brits as a huge 64% agreed that they would return to smoking or vaping if they didn’t use nicotine pouches.
A Need For Education
Nicotine pouches have certainly started to gain traction here in the UK, but there is still a big misconception in regards to the difference between nicotine pouches and snus. 57% admitted they do not know what tobacco-free nicotine pouches are and 42% admitted that they do not know what nicotine-free pouches are either.
This clearly demonstrates a need for education in the UK on the various alternatives to smoking, including nicotine pouches and snus. Snus has been used in Sweden for centuries as a smoke-free tobacco product, contributing dramatically to the country’s exceptionally low smoking rates. Nicotine pouches however, don’t actually contain tobacco; they are tobacco-leaf free products.
Flavour Bans
The topic of a potential flavour ban is huge in the UK right now and respondents were asked a variety of questions about a potential flavour ban and other policy related topics. The results show that 68% of those surveyed oppose flavour bans on nicotine and 59% think a flavour ban would drive them back to cigarettes.
Interestingly, a whopping 96% don’t think decision makers (parliament etc.) listen to them as pouch users. In addition to this, 45% also believe that a ban may lead to smuggling and/or illegal sales from unsafe sellers. Incredibly interesting findings for policy makers to consider!
You can read the Nicotine Pouch Report 2024 here.
