Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in New Zeland

27th March 2024: New Zealand: The Ministry of Health has published clarifications on the process for the 2023 annual return of sales information for heated tobacco products (HTPs) and e-cigarettes. Retailers must have a separate return form for each store (including online), while importers and manufacturers only need submit one. The return forms must be submitted to the Vaping Regulatory Authority (vaping@health.govt.nz) by 28th April 2024.
4th March 2024: New Zealand: The government has approved the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill, which will repeal parts of the tobacco control legislation passed by the previous government. The provisions mainly relate to smoked tobacco, which does not include e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The changes include the repeal of the generational ban for those born after 2008 and the reduction of nicotine levels in conventional cigarettes. The bill needs royal assent before becoming a law.
28th February 2024: New Zealand: The government has introduced the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill, which will repeal parts of the tobacco control legislation passed by the previous government. The provisions mainly relate to smoked tobacco, which does not include e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The changes include the repeal of the generational ban for those born after 2009 and the reduction of nicotine levels in conventional cigarettes. The bill must now pass three readings in Parliament.
26th January 2024: New Zealand: The Ministry of Health has sent a reminder that they will provide more clarity regarding the annual sales return process for heated tobacco products (due by 31st January each year). They do not expect annual returns to be completed for the 2023 calendar until further advice is provided. The advice is expected to be published before the end of March.
25th January 2024: New Zealand: Health minister Casey Costello allegedly proposes to remove the excise tax from heated tobacco products (HTPs), according to a document leaked to the press. Currently, heated tobacco is taxed under the "other tobacco" category at NZD1,555.23 ($952) per kg. When talking about the government coalition agreement to tax "smoked products only", Costello said "it is definitely one of the things that we have committed to in the coalition agreement, but we're not going to do anything without getting clear advice on it".
8th January 2024: New Zealand: As of 1st January 2024, the tax on heated tobacco has increased to NZD1,555.23 ($967) per kg.
13th December 2023: New Zealand: Associate health minister Casey Costello, who is responsible for policy relating to smoking and vaping in the new coalition government, said she is getting advice on oral products – including nicotine pouches and chewing tobacco – and what role they might play in helping smokers quit, press reports. “Early information I have got around oral nicotine is that it was used highly successfully in Scandinavian countries,” she added. Oral nicotine products are currently forbidden in the country.
28th November 2023: New Zealand: Health organisations have condemned the newly elected National Party’s coalition agreement to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act – which would remove requirements for denicotinisation, retail outlet reduction and the generation ban – press reports. Future finance minister Nicola Willis said the move was to fund tax cuts, although “our policy is to maintain all of the existing restrictions on smoking in New Zealand – the age limits, the health warnings, the smoking cessation programs”. National’s leader, Christopher Luxon, says he wants the amendments to the legislation repealed before March 2024.
24th November 2023: New Zealand: The recently elected National Party has formed a coalition government with the right-wing ACT and New Zealand First parties. The coalition agreement states that the parties will repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act to remove the requirements for denicotinisation, the reduction of retail outlets and the generation ban. The agreement also includes reforming the regulation of smokeless tobacco and oral nicotine products and commits to taxing only smoked products, eliminating the taxation of heated tobacco products.
3rd November 2023: New Zealand: Final election results released today (3rd November) show the centre-right National Party with a majority of seats (48 out of 122). National Party leader Christopher Luxon said during a press conference that his party was in talks with the right-wing ACT Party and New Zealand First to form a government. Luxon was a supporter of the Smokefree 2025 action plan, which made it illegal to sell smokable tobacco products to anyone born in or after 2009. We believe that a change of government will not affect the country’s policies on heated tobacco (HT).
29th September 2023: New Zealand: As of 1st October 2023, general retailers of vape or heated tobacco products must have notified that they sell these products at retail. The registration should be done through the Health Advisory and Regulatory platform and can take between five and ten days.

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