How Tobacco-Free Products Could Save the Tobacco Industry

Snus is one of the most famous tobacco products that is found in the world market, though the entry of these tobacco pouches into the market has been received with a lot of controversy.

Snus originated from Sweden, and it is a moist, smokeless tobacco product that is chewed or snuff. Although it has been illegal in most countries, it is quite popular. Most manufacturers have had to come up with innovative ways to adjust to the rules where snus was banned.

In a study in 1985, the World Health Organisation, WHO, deduced that snus products are extremely carcinogenic. Due to the conclusion made, the WHO persuaded the European Union to ban the sale of snus. The ban was made in 1992, and it was especially to prohibit entry of US-style, smokeless tobacco into the market.

Ever since, tobacco companies have come up with different ways to ensure consumer satisfaction.

The products had been in circulation in several European countries, and marketing strategies had already started to be established. In some countries, like the UK, students had been highly targeted, not only as test subjects but also as a means of promotion.

The fear of the product spreading and the use of hostile marketing strategies, mostly to the youth, was one of the main reasons it was banned.

These products have been banned, and snus is illegal in the UK, France, Italy and almost every country in the world.

Industry Boost with Nicotine Pouches

The companies that were making profits on the production and sale of snus would have a large loss once the products were banned. To keep afloat, companies came up with a solution.

Their solution: nicotine pouches.

During experimentation, a breakthrough was made: during an advanced thermal process, nicotine was separated from tobacco. The result of this process was the white nicotine powder which is found in nicotine pouches.

This was a major development since a lot of companies had been trying to meet the demand for effectless consumption of nicotine.

And this breakthrough has given big tobacco manufacturers a newfound hope, particularly in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. As healthcare professionals warned of more severe COVID-19 symptoms amongst smokers, and the full effects of vaping are yet to be understood, nicotine pouches were considered the first real alternative to cigarettes.

In the year 2020, the total sales of the pouches have been seen to reach an estimated amount of 12.7 billion dollars. This is a rise of about 4.9% from the previous year. The brands are marketing their products by coming up with innovative ways to attract more consumers.

The enormous gain of the popularity of nicotine pouches can be seen worldwide and might be a way to protect the $800 billion tobacco industry from decline.