Trading Standards has called for urgent regulation of a new class of highly addictive products being sold to children following the ban of single-use vapes.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is warning the public about nicotine pouches that are being promoted more prominently in shops and that pose a worrying child appeal with their flavours and eye-catching packaging, mimicking that of sweets.
Nicotine pouches are similar in shape and size 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 which may unfortunately also appeal to younger shoppers.
Currently there is no law in place that restricts the age of sale for nicotine pouches, so a child of any age can legally enter a shop and be sold these addictive products. The pouches are currently falling between regulatory gaps as they are not regulated as a specific tobacco or nicotine product, the CTSI advises.
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 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 craze.
Data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) published last month shows young people’s awareness of nicotine pouches has shot up in the last year, rising from 38% of 11-17-year-olds being aware in 2024 to 43% in 2025.
Use still remains at 4% of 11-17 year-olds but with awareness rising it is likely use will also grow without government action, it is feared.
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.
The CTSI says it is calling for the Bill to be moved up the Parliamentary timetable to ensure a swift implementation and to ensure nicotine pouches are included. It is also hoping to ensure business owners don’t exploit this loophole and ensure they are not selling nicotine products to children, and for all nicotine products to be kept out of reach of children
Duncan Stephenson (left), policy and external affairs director at the CTSI, said: “While Trading Standards is working to ensure that the ban on single disposable vapes is in place, we’re coming across new and emerging threats.
“The availability of potentially harmful products being promoted and sold to our children seems never ending…”
“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, added: “We’re getting increasing reports from concerned parents and teachers that shops are marketing and selling nicotine pouches to children. It’s incredibly frustrating that there is nothing we can currently do to prevent them.
“We’ve 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 (right), chief executive at ASH, addec: “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.”
Responding to the news, Jamie Strachan, operations director at vape suppliers VPZ, said: “We share the serious concerns raised by Trading Standards, CTSI and ASH.
“There’s no place for underage use of any nicotine product – full stop. Nicotine pouches, when used as stop smoking tool by adult, can play a meaningful role in harm reduction. However, we’re unequivocal in our belief these products must never be accessible to children.
“The fact that nicotine pouches are not yet regulated under a defined age restriction is a concerning loophole that must be urgently closed. We strongly support the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and call on the UK Government to accelerate its passage through Parliament.”
Also responding to the news, Markus Lindblad, head of legal and external affairs from supplier Haypp, said: “Responsible retailers don’t sell nicotine pouches to underage people (under 18) and have always self-policed this loophole.
“Nicotine pouches are adult-only products. All our products are age-gated, and customers must age-verify before being able to make a purchase. This reflects the reality that it is often bricks and mortar stores and not online retailers that are more likely to enable underage access to nicotine pouches.
According to our research, the typical nicotine pouch user is from an older demographic and began using pouches at 33. Although the majority of survey respondents perceived online channels as being of greater risk for underage access, bricks and mortar stores were the number one source of nicotine pouches for underage users, with 56% of underage pouch users saying they had bought the product from a corner shop.
“This loophole has been a source of frustration for responsible retailers for a long time. While the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will address this issue, we encourage retailers to make it their personal responsibility to manage age verification appropriately and for the public to vigilantly seek out any unscrupulous sellers.”
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