With seizures of illegal nicotine pouches rising in parts of the UK, the need to recognise legal, compliant products is now more important than ever.
However, a new survey from nicotine pouch experts, Northerner, shows that many UK adults remain unsure about what makes a pouch’s packaging legitimate, emphasising the need for better consumer education.
The data also showed that confidence in spotting legal nicotine pouches declines with age. Among those surveyed, over half (51%) said they lack confidence in identifying legal nicotine pouches by their packaging. Only 13% feel ‘very confident’, while 28% feel ‘fairly confident’.
Confidence peaks among the 25-34 age bracket, with 72% feeling confident to some extent, but drops sharply among 65+ adults, where only 1% feel ‘very confident’.
Unlike cigarettes and vapes, there is no specific regulation regarding age restrictions or health warnings when it comes to nicotine pouches. This is because they do not contain tobacco. Instead, they are regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, as a consumer product.
Under this regulation, nicotine pouches must be safe for use and provide appropriate warnings and instructions where necessary. They are also required to include key information such as producer identity and traceability details, including batch or product references.
The broader nature of this regulatory framework can make it more difficult for consumers to understand what compliant packaging should look like, and may create opportunities for counterfeit or non-compliant products to enter the market.
Markus Lindblad, head of legal and external affairs at Northerner, said: “We see education as a key part of supporting consumers in this category. As nicotine pouches become more widely available, it’s important that people feel confident in what they’re buying and understand what to look for.”
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