Key points:
·Market Growth: The nicotine pouch market in the United States is expected to grow by 40% compared to 2024.
·Consumer Motivation: 42% of adult users use nicotine pouches to quit smoking, while 32% use them to quit chewing tobacco.
·Health Improvement: 92% of former smokers report improved health after switching to nicotine pouches.
·Consumer Characteristics: 88% of online purchasers of nicotine pouches are male, with an average age of initiation of 44.
·Age Verification: 98% of online purchasers undergo age verification, higher than the 75% in physical retail.
·Regulatory Progress: The FDA has authorized the sale of 20 ZYN products, promoting regulatory transparency.
【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report from Business Wire on July 23rd, two online nicotine pouch retailers, Nicokick.com and Northerner.com, collaborated to release the "2025 Nicotine Pouches and Oral Nicotine Report", revealing a staggering 40% year-over-year growth in the US nicotine pouch market in 2024. This growth was primarily attributed to strong market momentum and a significant number of new adult consumers turning to the convenience of online retail. The report is based on comprehensive insights from a consumer survey conducted from February to April 2025, which included 1,670 adult nicotine pouch consumers, as well as purchase data from over 234,000 customers from these two e-commerce platforms in 2024.
The survey results reveal a notable trend: adult consumers are increasingly turning to smoke-free alternatives such as nicotine pouches, in order to change their habits from traditional combustible tobacco products. Among all adult pouch users surveyed, nearly half (42%) started using nicotine pouches to quit smoking. Additionally, one-third of respondents (32%) indicated they use the product to quit the habit of chewing tobacco.
Furthermore, 92% of former smokers who switched to nicotine pouches reported an improvement in their health condition.
Laura Leigh Oyler, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Nicokick.com, stated:
“Adult nicotine and tobacco consumers are increasingly looking for modern, smoke-free alternatives to traditional tobacco products, driving rapid growth in demand for nicotine pouches. A report for 2025 not only highlights changes in consumer behavior but also emphasizes the broader impact of innovation and regulatory developments on this category. As responsible and compliant retailers, we are committed to leading by example, revealing key market changes that will impact adult nicotine users seeking smoke-free lifestyles in terms of access and product range.”
The key findings of the 2025 report include:
Men are the most likely consumers: in the United States, nearly nine out of ten (88%) adult nicotine pouch online buyers are male.
ZYN maintains its leadership position, but only by a slim margin: Despite facing product shortages in the second half of 2024, ZYN has retained its market leadership for the year, while brands like On! and Rogue have seized opportunities and made progress in 2024.
Online retail provides robust age verification: In our survey, the typical adult nicotine pouch user begins using pouch products at age 44. 96% of pouch users reported that they started using the product when they were 18 years or older, while 88% said they started at 24 or older. A small portion of pouch users (4%) stated they had used the product before the age of 18. Despite many survey respondents believing that online channels are the main source of risk for underage individuals getting access to nicotine pouches, the survey also clearly indicates that traditional retail stores are the primary source for underage individuals obtaining nicotine pouches. 56% of underage individuals reported obtaining the product from local stores, 22% from supermarket chains, while only 4% reported purchasing online.
Clarity in regulation is becoming evident: In January 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the sale of 20 ZYN products, marking a new era of transparency in the regulation of this category. The 2025 report shattered the common assumption of minors accessing nicotine products, revealing a stark contrast between perception and reality.
Findings from the survey also showed that 98% of American consumers undergo age verification when purchasing nicotine pouches online, a much higher proportion than the 75% reported by physical retail stores. Despite industry leaders like Nicokick.com and Northerner.com helping to establish strong verification standards, the remaining 2% may reflect purchases made through other less compliant online retailers. This highlights the importance of maintaining consistent enforcement and accountability across all sales channels.
Ole added:
“Providing a range of smoke-free alternatives for adult consumers is crucial for driving meaningful change. This report further highlights the increasingly important role of nicotine pouches in supporting harm reduction in tobacco, and emphasizes the importance of continued focus on responsible retail practices and sensible adult use.”
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