Where Are Nicotine Pouches Most Popular?

• The UK nicotine pouch market has nearly doubled in the past year.
• Scotland leads in high-frequency use, with 24% of users consuming five or more cans weekly.
• Greater London has the highest pouch popularity based on online sales.

Over the past ten years, vapes have been the alternative nicotine product of choice for UK smokers hoping to kick the habit, but recently, many are turning to nicotine pouches as an option.

The Haypp Group Nicotine Pouch Report estimates that the UK nicotine pouch market has almost doubled in size over the past year. Several factors are driving this growth. The ban on disposable vapes has led consumers to seek out alternative products that offer convenience. Increasingly strict regulations on vaping in public places also encouraged the use of more discreet products.  

Nearly six in ten nicotine pouch users (57%) say quitting smoking was the main reason for starting nicotine pouches, making it the most common motivation by far.

The growth in pouch use has been across the UK, but some regions have embraced pouches more than others. The average UK nicotine pouch user uses around three cans per week. One in five pouch users can be considered a “high-frequency pouch user” – or someone who uses five or more cans per week. Scotland has the largest share of high-frequency users, with one in four (24%) reporting they use five or more cans weekly.
Scotland also reports the highest average consumption at 3.3 cans per week, while the North East of England has the lowest, at 2.8 cans.

Looking at the number of cans sold online per person, the Greater London area is the region where pouches are most popular. This may be because Londoners are well used to online shopping and the region has a population younger than the UK average. The lowest number of cans sold per person online is found in the East of England. 

Although many more people are using pouches, some things have remained consistent. For three years in a row, mint has been ranked as by far the most popular flavour in the UK, found in six out of ten cans sold (59%). Fruit flavours come in second place, making up 22% of cans sold, followed by citrus at 8%.