Market & legal data of alternative tobacco products in Europe

'It will be hotly contested': what to expect from the EU debate over the new TPD

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 1st November 2022

The forthcoming debate in the European Parliament over the review of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) could be very heated, with its outcome anything but certain ...

European Commission approves PMI's planned takeover of Swedish Match

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 1st November 2022

EU antitrust regulators have conditionally approved the takeover of Swedish nicotine pouch specialist Swedish Match by the tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI) for an estimated €16bn ...

Swedish Match enjoys impressive Q3 US growth thanks to smoke-free products

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 31st October 2022

Swedish Match has reported an 18% sales increase in the first nine months of the year, boosted by the smoke-free product segment. The company saw a continued impressive performance in the US market, where Zyn...

PMI reports strong Q3 results, talks smoke-free, Altria and Swedish Match

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 24th October 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) reported strong third quarter results in terms of revenue but saw a number of setbacks in shipment volumes as it looks to meet its goal of becoming a majority smoke-free company...

Swedish Match vs. US nicotine pouch company Dryft in a litany of lawsuits

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th October 2022

Dryft, which contends it was forced to sell out of the US nicotine pouch market because of alleged frivolous lawsuits from major nicotine pouch producer Swedish Match, may have an edge in the upcoming court...

France links tobacco prices to inflation and plans new tax on HnB consumables

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 13th October 2022

Tobacco prices in France will soon be indexed to inflation as the government seeks to discourage smoking in a country where cigarettes kill more than 200 people a day and cost the state billions of...

Danish ‘mink’ elections mean questions for future nicotine prohibition policy

Written by Fernanda Tucunduva | 10th October 2022

The future viability of Denmark’s plans to ban anyone born in or after 2010 from accessing tobacco and nicotine products has been thrown into question after the country’s government has become the first ever to...

BAT backs German cannabis company as potential new European market beckons

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 29th September 2022

British American Tobacco (BAT) has again bet on the cannabis industry as it looks to diversify its portfolio as part of its plan to transition to a smoke-free future ...

Swedish Match awarded top marks for transformation to reduced risk

Written by Barnaby Page | 29th September 2022

Swedish Match was the clear winner in this year’s Tobacco Transformation Index, which ranks major tobacco companies on their shift toward reduced-risk products ...

Switzerland’s regions have their say on bill to ban most tobacco advertising

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 27th September 2022

The Swiss Federal Council has opened the consultation process with Switzerland’s cantons on a bill to amend the national Tobacco Products Act following a referendum on tightening advertising restrictions ...

European citizens’ petition for a tobacco-free generation by 2030 seeks signatures

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 16th September 2022

Organisers of a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) need 1m signatures across seven EU member states by next summer for the European Commission to respond to their request for measures leading to Europe’s first tobacco-free generation...

Europe's tobacconists facing big changes, with new products and new regulations

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 15th September 2022

The EU’s tobacconists will need to change their identity if they are to adapt to major regulatory changes coming soon, according to a leading trade body for tobacco retailers ...

Iceland's new regulations for pouches include 2% cap on nicotine content

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th September 2022

A cap of 20 mg/g will be applied to nicotine pouches in Iceland following an amendment to the law on e-cigarettes and refills that brings pouches under its remit ...

Uncertainty mixed with optimism in tobacco sector ahead of Italian elections

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 12th September 2022

Uncertainty remains high in the Italian tobacco-alternatives industry, but there is a feeling of cautious optimism as the country approaches election day on 25th September ...

While other countries have gone with a flavour ban, menthol is still big in Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 29th August 2022

Japan currently has no intention of following the US and Europe with a ban on menthol-flavoured tobacco products ...

Czech Republic could be facing nicotine cap and other restrictions on pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 24th August 2022

The Czech Republic Ministry of Health is preparing to introduce restrictions on the strength, marketing and production of nicotine pouches ...

Lack of solid science stokes fears and doubts over safety of nicotine pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 16th August 2022

While nicotine pouches are growing in popularity fast, the state of science on their safety remains threadbare ...

Clampdown and tax on tobacco products may never reach Spanish parliament

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 11th August 2022

The fate of two laws feared by Spain’s tobacco and vaping industries is in doubt due to a tight political calendar and uncertainty over future regulation at EU level ...

Welsh strategy for a smoke-free future leaves out the question of alternatives

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 4th August 2022

Heated tobacco and the possible legalisation of snus are not specifically addressed in a new tobacco control strategy for the devolved UK region of Wales ...

Revenue, not harm reduction, the driving force behind Romania's increased taxes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 2nd August 2022

Romania increased taxes on conventional cigarettes, heated tobacco and vaping products on 1st August, purely in an attempt to secure additional tax revenue ...

BAT confident Hyper X2 can add to its Glo-ing performance in HnB and oral

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 28th July 2022

British American Tobacco (BAT) saw revenue from its new products category portfolio rise by 45% in the first half of the year, with good returns from its modern oral and heated tobacco portfolio ...

‘Misleading and irresponsible’ – UK ASA rules on ads for cigarette flavour additive

Written by Freddie Dawson | 26th July 2022

A new way to add flavours to conventional cigarettes has gained publicity after being criticised by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ...

Banner ads booked by algorithm are not exempt from ban, Danish paper told

Written by Freddie Dawson | 25th July 2022

It is a publisher’s responsibility to ensure tobacco ads do not appear on a newspaper website through automated or algorithmic banner ad purchases, according to a ruling by the Danish Consumer Ombudsman ...

Continuing strong growth in nicotine pouches keeps Swedish Match on the up

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 25th July 2022

Swedish Match has reported a 17% sales increase in the first half of the year, driven by smoke-free products, with solid growth for its Zyn nicotine pouches in both the US and Scandinavian markets ...

PMI releases promising results for first half of year, boosted by heated tobacco

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 22nd July 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) has raised its full year outlook after it saw decent numbers over the first half of 2022 ...

EC sets out to assess big response to call for evidence towards new tobacco plan

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 18th July 2022

More than 24,000 responses were received to a European Commission call for evidence on plans for the legal framework that will shape the future revised Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and Tobacco Advertising Directive ...

EU heated tobacco flavour ban possibly delayed to extend scrutiny period

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 15th July 2022

A ban on flavoured heated tobacco products in the EU may be delayed after the Permanent Representatives Committee recommended that the Council of the European Union extend the scrutiny period by two months ...

Huge disparities in access to stop-smoking services across England

Written by Freddie Dawson | 8th July 2022

Public health in the north of England continues to be ignored in favour of supporting more affluent and Tory-leaning areas in the south and Midlands, according to a new survey ...

Sting-free shield keeps pouches in the forefront of nicotine innovation

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 7th July 2022

Pouches with integrated “shields” on one side that reduce stinging and gum irritation are the latest example of how the category is leading the way in innovation among alternative nicotine products ...

Collapse of Bulgarian government won't bring any change in heated tobacco tax

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th July 2022

Tax rates on heated tobacco products in Bulgaria will not change following the resignation of prime minister Kiril Petkov and his cabinet after they lost a vote of confidence ...

European heated tobacco users about to lose taste with latest flavour prohibition

Written by Laura Garay Gómez | 1st July 2022

A flavour ban for heated tobacco products has been confirmed following the EU Commission’s publishing of a delegated directive amending the Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU, commonly known as the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) ...

Are flavours in pouches set to be the next battleground for tobacco alternatives?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 30th June 2022

Flavours in nicotine pouches could become the next contentious issue for tobacco alternatives, following a similar route to e-liquid flavours, experts say ...

Swedish innovator proposes concrete solution to nicotine pouch drawbacks

Written by Freddie Dawson | 27th June 2022

Innovation in nicotine pouches – better release profile, longer lasting flavour and effect – is coming from an unexpected area... the remarkable world of concrete ...

Iceland awards nicotine pouches the rubber stamp of their own regulations

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 24th June 2022

Nicotine pouches in Iceland are to be subject to their own specific rules for the first time – but they do not include a threatened flavour ban ...

Sweden extends cigarette regulations to cover tobacco-free nicotine products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 22nd June 2022

Limits similar to those already found on tobacco products such as cigarettes and snus will now also apply to tobacco-free nicotine products after Sweden’s parliament, the Riksdag, voted to modify legislation ...

UK’s Khan report pleases vape advocates, all but ignores other tobacco alternatives

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 16th June 2022

Recognition of the role vaping can play in the future of public health in England has been welcomed – but there is some disappointment that the positive approach does not extend to other alternatives to...

Netherlands wants to control and limit popularity of novel tobacco products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 10th June 2022

Dutch authorities want to bring in a range of regulations intended to limit the popularity of novel tobacco products such as nicotine pouches ...

Released Khan report advises strict measures in UK for 2030 smoke-free goal

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 9th June 2022

The UK government must take further action to promote vaping products and accelerate the path to prescribed e-cigarettes if it wants to achieve its 2030 smoke-free ambition for England, according to an independent tobacco review ...

Czechia embraces harm reduction and plans to regulate nicotine pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th June 2022

The Czech Republic is set to become the main EU proponent of tobacco harm-reduction policy following a change in philosophy among leaders, and is planning to implement a new decree for nicotine pouches in the...

Nicotine pouches don't escape WHO's World No Tobacco Day campaign debate

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 3rd June 2022

On international World No Tobacco Day tobacco alternatives such as pouches were not excluded from the criticisms ...

Planned rewrite of EU battery rules could have a major impact on HnB devices

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 23rd May 2022

Heat-not-burn (HnB) hardware could be in for a big shake-up in the EU over the next few years, with the environmental impact of batteries squarely in the firing line ...

Call for UK to promote snus and nicotine pouches to reach smoke-free 2030 goal

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 20th May 2022

The UK government is likely to miss its 2030 smoke-free ambition for England because the government is not supporting the full range of reduced-risk products, namely snus and nicotine pouches, according to an advocate for snus...

Tobacco companies face €36m fine for restricting competition in Belgium

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th May 2022

On 13th April 2022 the Belgian Competition Authority’s decision-making body, the Competition College, imposed fines totalling €36m on four major cigarette manufacturers for practices that restricted competition ...

Swedish Match releases Q1 2022 results following $16bn takeover bid from PMI

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 12th May 2022

Swedish Match saw its smoke-free portfolio continuing to drive sales as well as increase operating profits in the first quarter of 2022, compared with the same period in 2021, and attributed this positive performance to...

Swedish Match shareholders asked to accept PMI’s $16bn takeover bid

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 11th May 2022

The board of Swedish Match has asked shareholders of the Scandinavian nicotine pouch maker to accept a $16bn takeover offer from tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI) ...

PMI in negotiations to acquire rival Swedish Match for a reported $15bn

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 10th May 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) is in talks to buy European rival Swedish Match in an estimated $15bn deal that could affect both the oral and smoking tobacco markets ...

EU ban on flavours in heated tobacco seen as likely to be adopted 'soon'

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th May 2022

The EU Commission told TobaccoIntelligence that progress on the process to institute the prohibition on flavours was underway and that the latest step is expected to be finalised “soon” ...

BAT leads legal challenge to Denmark's latest tobacco control initiative

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 4th May 2022

A group of tobacco companies, including British American Tobacco (BAT) and its subsidiaries Nicoventures and House of Prince, have sued the Danish government over legislation which came into force in 2021 ...

JTI reports strong Q1 performance despite uncertainties over Ukraine war

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 29th April 2022

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) saw its revenues increase by 6.2% to JPY581.5bn ($4.5bn) in the first quarter of 2022, despite uncertainties over its business in Russia, compared with 5.3% growth to JPY547.3bn ($4.2bn) in the...

PMI reveals 'solid performance', with significant growth in its HnB portfolio

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 22nd April 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) saw positive numbers for the first quarter of 2022, with Iqos Iluma performing well in Japan, Switzerland and Spain ...

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