More than half a million people now consume products as experts link rise to ‘aggressive’ marketing and advertising
More than 500,000 people in Great Britain now use nicotine pouches, with the significant rise in uptake driven by members of gen Z, research has revealed.
Nicotine pouches are placed between the lip and gum to slowly release nicotine and come in a wide variety of different flavours. Health experts say the products, which are banned in Germany and the Netherlands, should not be used by anyone who does not already smoke.
The percentage of people aged 16 and over using them in England, Scotland and Wales has grown from 0.1% in 2020 to 1% in 2025, equivalent to about 522,000 people. The sharpest rise in use was among young people, according to figures published in the medical journal Lancet Public Health.
Experts said the dramatic increase in use of nicotine pouches was probably linked to “aggressive” marketing and advertising across social media, billboards and public transport hubs in the UK.
