A maturing nicotine pouch market is increasingly leaving extreme-strength products behind. At InterTabac 2025 most of the products we observed clustered in the 6–12 mg range reflecting a natural market adjustment and a factor that should be taken into consideration when defining a scientifically based nicotine cap that enables smokers to switch while preventing unnecessary extremes.
For the fifth year in a row, NNPA and Pouchforum have attended InterTabac, the world’s largest tobacco and nicotine trade fair. The event is strictly focused on business-to-business and not open to the public. In recent years NNPA has been delivering masterclasses on regulatory and market developments, but we’ve also used the opportunity to meet with representatives from the industry across the value chain and to draw our own conclusions from what we observe.
Our general perceptions
Although the fair covers all kinds of tobacco products, our focus is on the nicotine pouch category. This year we found the pouch sector to be more strongly represented than in previous years, both in the number of brands and in the quality of the products. We also noted innovation in product development beyond the traditional parameters of flavor and nicotine strength. To give a few examples:
- Dry pouches with a click-pod – offering longer shelf life and a different flavor release profile.
- Pouches with bio ceramic filling – designed to increase nicotine accessibility, allowing for lower nicotine strengths i.e. gives a stronger effect in the first few minutes.
- Oat-based nicotine pouches – marketed as providing a different mouthfeel and a gentler sensory experience contrasting with brands that highlight intensity.
We also perceived a shift in the geographical origin of producers. Whereas previous years showed a notable presence of Chinese manufacturers, this seems to have been replaced by an increasing number of Indian and UAE producers, even though the core of production remains in Europe, particularly in Sweden and the Baltics. This does not necessarily reflect statistics of actual production in Europe, where both Hungary and Poland host manufacturers for a lot of brands and would have been more visible.
Trends in nicotine content
Just as in previous years, we observe a continued trend towards lower nicotine content. A few small and medium-sized brands still profile themselves with very high strengths (20–30 mg/pouch and above), and a few more producers with a more moderate product portfolio keep one or two such products in their portfolio. However, when speaking to these producers, they are often positive about the idea of a nicotine cap, explaining that they maintain these stronger products mainly due to demand in certain markets—typically underdeveloped ones without an established pouch tradition.
By far the majority of products are now positioned between 6–16 mg/pouch, with a noticeably stronger concentration in the 6–12 mg spectrum. We also saw several examples of reporting nicotine concentration in mg/g thus giving a perception of a higher nicotine content than the actual unit used (mg/pouch). We also took note of a manufacturer flagging a product as “Hyper strong” that contained a very moderate 11 mg/pouch.
We can only speculate on the reasons for this development, and we need to highlight that our perceptions from a trade fair do not necessarily represent the actual market or give us any indication of what will be more competitive in the future. However, we ourselves and both producers and brandowners we have spoken to, do believe that what we see is a response to demand.
Our analysis and recommendations
Nicotine is often considered to be used in a self-titrating manner, and anyone who on occasion has exceeded their comfort threshold for nicotine knows that this is a feeling to avoid at any cost. Former smokers with a high tolerance might look for a pouch with a high dose that over a short time may replicate the nicotine delivered by a cigarette, while regular pouch users would opt for the significantly lower but more stable supply of nicotine. At the same time “strong” still seems to be a selling point, in new markets where users have not found their preferred strength. However, as markets mature and consumer experience grows, we expect this emphasis on extreme strengths to diminish in favor of more moderate, balanced products.
Since a pouch cannot be split in two, we would argue that the main way to manage an overly strong product (depending on personal preference) is to take it out when the user has reached their threshold. While this might be a workable solution to a “self-inflicted problem”, we believe most users over time are likely to prefer a somewhat lower dose that does not risk causing nausea or require pre-emptive removal.
It is therefore our interpretation and belief that the share of the market that seeks strength above 20 mg/pouch will continue to decline as the market matures. However, this may take time, and to both accelerate the development and prevent an extreme outer margin of the market, we support a nicotine cap of approximately 20 mg/pouch. Such a cap would be high enough to allow smokers to use it to transition while still being low enough to discourage unnecessary extremes, and it should be regarded as an essential consideration in the upcoming revision of the Tobacco Products Directive.