Striking the Balance: The Case for a 20 mg Nicotine Pouch Limit

• The Tobacco and Vapes Bill gives the government the power to limit the amount of nicotine in pouches.
• Northerner believes that a 20mg upper limit is the correct policy option for the government.
• This is based on the science of switching and takes inspiration from the example of Sweden.

As the UK seeks to accelerate progress towards smoke‑free status, policymakers face an important question: how to use the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to regulate emerging nicotine alternatives in a way that maximises public health benefits while limiting potential risks.

Nicotine pouches—a smoke‑free, non‑combustible product—have the potential to play a meaningful role in the UK’s journey towards a smoke-free future, provided they are regulated by a proportionate and evidence‑based framework.

International experience offers useful lessons.

In Sweden, the widespread availability of non‑combustible nicotine products, including snus and nicotine pouches, has been a key factor in dramatically reducing smoking rates and achieving smoke‑free status.

This demonstrates that when adult smokers are given access to effective alternatives, substantial public health gains are possible.

For the UK to replicate this success, regulation of nicotine pouches must strike the right balance: ensuring they are effective enough to support switching away from cigarettes, while mitigating risks associated with ultra‑high‑strength nicotine products.

At Northerner, harm reduction sits at the centre of our business model.

Northerner is part of Haypp Group, which was founded in Sweden and now serves more than 1.1 million customers across the UK, USA, Sweden, Germany, Norway and Switzerland. As a publicly listed international business, Haypp Group takes its responsibilities to consumers and wider society seriously.

This commitment is reflected in concrete actions. Our UK platforms operate with stringent age‑verification systems, provide clear, evidence‑based consumer information, and require all nicotine pouch products sold to undergo independent testing to ensure they meet quality and safety standards.

Importantly, Northerner and Haypp Group have also chosen not to sell nicotine pouch products containing more than 20 mg of nicotine per pouch.

This is a voluntary standard that we have set for ourselves. We realise that some consumers will choose to shop elsewhere, but we consider this limit to be responsible and proportionate.

The case for a 20 mg upper limit is grounded in science.

To function as a genuine alternative to cigarettes, nicotine pouches must deliver nicotine at a level that satisfies adult smokers.

A maximum of 20 mg per pouch achieves this by offering a nicotine experience comparable to that of a cigarette. Higher strengths are not required to support switching and may not be in consumers’ best interests.

Despite this, some products currently available on the UK market advertise nicotine levels as high as 150 mg per pouch.

Such ultra‑strength products are excessive, unnecessary for harm reduction, and may not be in consumers’ best interests.

Setting a legal limit of 20 mg per pouch has three clear advantages.

First, it preserves access to an effective alternative for adult smokers while protecting consumers from ultra‑high nicotine strengths.

Second, it aligns with established industry guidance: both the Swedish Institute for Standards and the British Standards Institution recommend an upper limit of 20 mg of nicotine per pouch.

Third, it creates a simple, easily understood rule for consumers and retailers navigating a new product category.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will give the UK Government the authority to regulate nicotine levels in pouches. Using this power to introduce a maximum limit of 20 mg per pouch would be a pragmatic and proportionate step.

It would safeguard consumers, support harm reduction, and help ensure that nicotine pouches fulfil their potential as a credible alternative for smokers looking to quit combustible tobacco.