The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is warning the public about nicotine pouches that are being promoted more prominently in shops and pose a worrying child appeal with their flavours and eye-catching packaging, mimicking that of sweets.
Nicotine pouches are small pouches similar in shape to teabags containing nicotine, flavourings, sweeteners, and plant-based fibres. They are placed under the upper lip, allowing nicotine to be absorbed through the gum. They are available in flavours, similar to those of vapes including tropical Mango, very berry and cherry ice.
Currently there is no law in place that restricts the age of sale for nicotine pouches, so any child of any age can legally enter a shop and be sold these addictive products. These pouches are currently falling between regulatory gaps as they are not regulated as a specific tobacco or nicotine product.
Trading Standards officers are currently ensuring that businesses are no longer selling single-use vapes that are now illegal to supply in the UK, but during visits to premises Trading Standards Officers have found that nicotine pouches are now in plain sight at the front of the check-out areas in stores.
There is increasing concern about the rising popularity of these products among school-aged children in the UK as use of these pouches can easily go undetected by teachers and parents, due to their discreet placement on the gum. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and this is the next issue that schools and parents are being faced with due to social pressures of children joining the next ‘trendy’ craze.
Data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) published last month shows that young people’s awareness of nicotine pouches has shot up in the last year rising from 38% of 11-17 year olds aware of pouches in 2024 to 43% aware in 2025. Use remains at 4% of 11-17 year olds but with awareness rising it is likely use will also grow without government action.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill that is currently making its way through Parliament makes the sale of these nicotine products illegal to anyone under the age of 18. It will also introduce powers to restrict the use of child-appealing flavours, packaging and advertising as well as dictate where they can be placed in shops.
CTSI is calling for:
- The Tobacco and Vapes Bill to be moved up the Parliamentary timetable to ensure a swift implementation and to ensure nicotine pouches are included
- Ensuring business owners don’t exploit this loophole and ensure they are not selling nicotine products to children
- Nicotine products to be kept out of reach of children
Duncan Stephenson, Policy and External Affairs Director at CTSI, said: “While Trading Standards is working to ensure that the ban on Single Disposable Vapes is in place, we are coming across new and emerging threats. It very much feels like a game of whack-a-mole – just as one product is dealt with, another emerges – the availability of potentially harmful products being promoted and sold to our children seems never ending. Nicotine pouches are the latest example, with slick marketing, sweet flavours and colourful packaging that risk appealing to young people, whether intended or not.
“Local Trading Standards teams on the ground are uncovering these risks every day, but we urgently need the powers set out in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to take urgent and effective action. Strong, proactive regulation is essential to protect children and stop these products from slipping through the cracks.”
Kate Pike, CTSI Lead Officer for Tobacco and Vapes, said: “We are getting increasing reports from concerned parents and teachers that shops are marketing and selling nicotine pouches to children. It is incredibly frustrating that there is nothing we can currently do to prevent them. We have been asking for an age of sale on nicotine pouches for some time and were delighted when this measure was included in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. We would urge Government to ensure the Bill is prioritised in the Parliamentary calendar to enable it to be finalised so we can start taking action against those who either deliberately or uncaringly risk children getting hooked on a highly addictive product.”
Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive at Action on Smoking and Health said: “The government has all the tools needed to address youth appeal and use of nicotine pouches in legislation before parliament. But parliamentary time has not been found to progress this legislation since April. In the meantime, companies, who know their marketing practices will eventually be restricted, are continuing to heavily promote pouches in ways that appeal to children. While they are likely to be very much less harmful than smoking, they contain nicotine which is addictive, and the long-term health impacts are not known.”
