Key Highlights:
Seizure of illegal nicotine pouches skyrocket: The amount of illegal nicotine pouches seized in the UK increased by 974% year-on-year.
Regulatory gaps are prominent: currently, there is a lack of clear regulations regarding advertisements, strength, and age restrictions for nicotine pouches, making it easy for minors to access them.
Industry warns of expanding black market: Online retailer Vape Club points out that the black market trend is accelerating, with government regulation lagging behind. Calls for the establishment of a licensing system, and for related revenue to be used for border and market surveillance enforcement.
According to a report by Conveniencestore on April 17th, data indicates that the usage rate of disposable e-cigarettes in the UK has decreased by approximately 30% before the government's ban on disposable e-cigarettes takes effect on June 1st, as most users are transitioning to reusable devices.
However, as the demand for disposable products decreases, other nicotine alternatives, particularly nicotine pouches, are rapidly increasing.
According to information obtained through a Freedom of Information request from multiple local councils in the UK, data released by online retailer Vape Club has shown a 974% year-on-year increase in the seizure of illegal nicotine pouches over the past year.
Currently, there are no clear regulations on the advertising, product strength, or age restrictions of nicotine pouches, leading to an increase in accessibility among minors. Additionally, although current regulations require nicotine content to be clearly labeled, along with English usage instructions and warning messages, thousands of products have still been found to use foreign languages on their labels or violate the General Product Safety Regulations.
Vape Club director and founding member of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), Dan Marchant, stated that
Following the illegal disposable e-cigarette trend, nicotine pouches appear to be the new target for criminal groups. We are seeing that without strong enforcement measures, the black market will quickly develop, and the nicotine pouch market is showing signs of this now.
Ma Qiantong emphasized that the government has not yet implemented effective restrictions on the sale of high-concentration nicotine pouches and products to individuals under the age of 18. Currently, most legal retailers can only regulate themselves based on industry self-discipline. He called on the government to establish a permit system for the retail and distribution of e-cigarettes, with revenue earmarked specifically for enforcement expenditures.
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