Oral nicotine sales are soaring in the wake of the disposable vapes ban.
While there’s no doubt that the ban on single-use vapes earlier this year was a blow for the convenience sector, certain sub-categories have benefitted as disposable consumers sought out an alternative option.
“Following the ban last summer, we know both tobacco smokers and vapers are entering the nicotine pouch category in growing numbers, with sales increasing accordingly,” says Prianka Jhingan, Head of Marketing at Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK. “Our latest data shows total UK nicotine pouch sales to be worth just under £188m and growing by 63% YOY in volume terms [IRI Marketplace, Value and Volume sales, w/e 28/09/25].
“Our latest data shows pouch volume sales have grown by 79% in the last 12 months in convenience stores, with our own XQS selling particularly well in this channel, where it is already the sixth-biggest-selling brand, with huge potential for further growth.”
She claims there’s “no doubt” that the category will continue to grow both in size and significance, so retailers need to ensure they are stocking the right brands to maximise sales and profits. “For any retailers new to the pouch category, it’s sensible to start with a range including a mixture of well-established and newer brands, as they bring excitement to the category,” she advises. “They should also consider stocking a range of flavours and strengths to suit all tastes.”
Ensuring that pouches – and particularly newer brands – are easy to spot in store makes all the difference, notes Jhingan. “Something that is key to driving purchase of next-gen products is visibility and how you display them in-store, so we believe that to really maximise sales of XQS it is best suited in multiple locations due to it still being a newer product in the category that some consumers may still not be aware of. We currently offer a number of different display solutions to accommodate different-sized stores, which ensure maximum visibility to those entering, so retailers should speak to their local STG rep to find the best solution for their particular store.”
One retailer who understands the importance of giving new oral nicotine brands their time to shine is Guna Sud, Retail Manager at Racetrack stores. Having developed his Vape 4U and Snus Daddy brands and websites to encourage additional vape and pouch sales, Guna was keen to ensure that pouches were effectively highlighted in store.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work with brands directly like Pablo and Killa and a lot of new and emerging brands, such as Fumi and XQS. They would all require promotion space. And the problem I had before was that the pouches were mixed in with our Vape 4U offering and I wanted to make it more of a standalone feature.”
He spent several months researching European trends and noted that many stores in Sweden and Norway were offering chilled nicotine pouches. He put some pouches in a fridge and encouraged his staff who already consumed pouches to sample them. Feedback was extremely positive, with people perceiving the chilled pouches to provide a smoother, more flavoursome hit, so Guna set to work designing a chilled display.
It was originally supposed to be just above head height, but Guna wanted it bigger, so they went up another tier, and it now stands at 3.6m tall! He has positioned it ahead of the vape stands in a prime spot by the tills and the beer cave entrance. He has added additional LEDs and a middle unit which acts as a promotional feature for any new brands or special offers. The promo area also has its own dedicated screen space. “We’ve been working with XQS and Fumi and Pouch Nurdz from America, he says. “They’ve got core space on the right of the fixture and then they’ve got extra space in the middle. There’s also space to keep samples on hand so that customers can try before they buy. I’ve also got the team to add some extra LEDs in the middle to make it even brighter.”
So far the display, which is surrounded by neon lights and digital screens and holds nearly 200 SKUs, has helped pouch sales achieve double digit growth of 15% since the display was installed. Guna shares Jhingan’s confidence that there is further room for growth in 2026. “There’s more we can do to drive it a little bit more,” he says.
Juul Labs UK has expanded its JUUL2 system flavour portfolio with the launch of the new Peach flavour.
Two-pack pods will be sold across all channels, with four-packs available at select key accounts. A Starter Kit with Virginia Tobacco & Crisp Menthol has an RSP of £9.99, while a Device Kit retails at £6.99. A Refill Kit 2-pack has an RSP of £6.99 and a 4-pack is RSP £13.99.
Imperial Brands, which is home to Golden Virginia, Players and Embassy, as well as Rizla, and the Blu vape brand, also expects the pouch category to excel. With pouches proving popular with existing nicotine users for providing a discreet, effective, and affordable form of nicotine delivery, the category has significant growth potential in the UK, observes the firm. It highlights that 42% of nicotine pouch users say they are going to use more nicotine pouches in the next six months [Impact research (N=109)].
UK Market Manager Andrew Malm says: “With the category volume predicted to grow by 234% in the next five years [IBUK estimates Sept 2025], the opportunity to develop an alternative high-quality nicotine solution for the UK market was significant.”
The firm has just entered the oral nicotine market with Zone, which is manufactured at Imperial-owned factories in Europe and uses high-quality raw materials. The product delivers fast-acting nicotine release and intense long-lasting flavour, claims Imperial.
“Zone is the result of extensive research and product development to ensure our high-quality nicotine product matches the expectations of consumers, as well as providing a great business-building opportunity for the retail trade,” says Malm.
With nicotine pouches left in the mouth for up to 30 minutes, fresh flavours currently dominate the category, observes Imperial. Research indicates that mint is the current preference for flavour accounting for 70% of purchases [EPOS data Oct 21 – June 25], but fruit flavours are gaining traction among customers,” states the firm.
Zone is available in Sweet Mint, Cool Mint, Watermelon Ice, Juicy Peach and Berry Blast flavours. As a growing category, 9-12mg strength products currently account for 43.4% of the nicotine pouch market [EPOS data Oct21-Jun25] and Zone will therefore be available in 10mg nicotine strength across four of its flavours. Cool Mint and Berry Blast will also be available in a higher 11mg nicotine strength variety.
Each pack contains 20 nicotine pouches in a slim format for better mouthfeel and discreetness, with an RSP of £6.50 each.
Philip Morris Limited (PML), the UK and Ireland affiliate of Philip Morris International (PMI), has unveiled its lowest strength nicotine pouch ZYN X-Low (1.5mg).
The new pouch provides a suitable entry point into the category for adult nicotine users trying pouches for the first time, claims PML. ZYN X-Low is designed for less tingle and delivers a smoother flavour release. Spearmint, Black Cherry and Cool Mint 1.5mg are available in wholesale and on PMI Open, PML’s dedicated retailer platform.
The launch will be supported by a nationwide ‘Be bold enough to take it easy with X-Low’ campaign.
XQS is also tapping into demand for fruity flavours. “Nicotine pouch users are motivated by flavour more than anything, which is one of the reasons we feel so confident in the future growth of our XQS brand. The predominant flavour in the category is definitely mint but fruity flavours are proving increasingly popular with consumers.
“Our current XQS bestsellers are the Tropical and Black Cherry flavours, which were two of the earlier flavours to launch, while other particularly popular ones to call out at the moment would be Arctic Freeze and Strawberry Kiwi. All of our XQS SKUs come in strengths of either 8mg or 11.2mg, apart from our bestselling Tropical flavour which also comes in 4mg and is sold exclusively online.”
The latest additions to the XQS portfolio are Cola Lime and Fizzy Peach which are available to retailers through the Vape Supplier website, with a strength of 8mg and an RSP of £5.50. “Both new flavours are beverage-inspired, which is very much on-trend with consumers at present,” states Jhingan.
With a host of innovative brands hungry for action and a wealth of flavours available, oral nicotine looks set to flourish over the coming months.
With rising cigarette prices and cost-of-living pressures increasingly influencing purchasing decisions, Elfbar claims that value-for-money nicotine alternatives present an opportunity for growth.
“Reusable vapes and their refills offer smokers a more affordable and less harmful alternative, says Angelo Yang, Associate General Manager, UK, Elfbar. “Research by the University of Edinburgh shows vapes are four times more profitable than cigarettes, highlighting the category’s strong returns.”
He claims that sales for Lost Mary BM600 prefilled pod kits and their refills have grown by 9% in Scotland over the last 13 weeks [Circana data], driven by their low out-of-pocket cost for budget-conscious customers. “With refill pods accounting for 62% of BM600 sales, the data shows that shoppers are actively managing spend by choosing the more cost-effective refills over buying a new device each time,” says Yang.
“Within the prefilled pod kit product category, high puff count devices are also growing in popularity and generate robust per-unit profit. While their upfront cost is higher for customers, their larger e-liquid quantities offer longer-lasting use and lower cost per puff, enhancing the value gained from refills and making them an appealing value proposition.”
Racetrack Retail Manager Guna Sud is running strong deals to encourage vapers to buy into refillables. “We’re seeing an increase every week in refillables and nicotine salts,” he says. “We’ve got promotions running where for £5 you’ll get an Elfbar-branded device with a nic salt free of charge. So for £5 less than the cost of a disposable, you’ve got a device that’s going to give you 5,000 puffs in total. We’re selling hundreds and hundreds of those.”
His expectation is that people will trade up to a more expensive device, but his main goal is to get them into buying regular refills. “We’re trying to push customers onto the cheaper solution. ‘Try the £5 device – it’s not meant to last forever, but if you’re happy with that then you can step up to a £15 or £20 device.’ My supplier is funding the price difference on the kit and the nic salt will be Pixl.” He explains that these types of deals are hugely beneficial to suppliers who can quickly gain customers’ loyalty. “If you’re a new customer on a [refillable] vape, usually you stick to the liquid that you get the first time if you’re happy with it.”
