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BAT's Nicotine Pouch VELO Sees Rapid Growth in US

Mar.17.2025
BAT's Nicotine Pouch VELO Sees Rapid Growth in US
British American Tobacco's nicotine pouch VELO's US market share rises by 185%, reaching 7.9%, surpassing competitors like ZYN.

Key points:

 

1. The nicotine pouch VELO, under the BAT (British American Tobacco) brand, saw a 185% year-on-year increase in sales in the US market, with a market share of 7.9%.

 

2. Velo Plus was launched only 12 weeks ago, capturing a market share of 5.4%.

 

3. ZYN's market share has dropped to 55%, while Philip Morris International (PMI) claimed that its actual share was higher and growing faster than the overall market.

 

 

2Firsts, reporting from Shenzhen - NielsenIQ report shows British American Tobacco's Velo nicotine pouch sales in the U.S. surged 185% year-on-year for the four-week period ending February 22, 2025, with market share reaching 7.9%, Tobaccoinsider reported.

 

The report also indicated that VELO's implied market share for the latest week was approximately 10%, in line with BAT's previous statement.

 

VELO's growth was mainly attributed to the consumer acceptance of VELO Plus and retail expansion. Just 12 weeks after its launch, the product has captured a 5.4% market share nationwide. 

 

Compared to the traditional "dry" ZYN and regular VELO, VELO Plus came in a larger, softer, and more moist pouch format.

 

According to Nielsen IQ data, ZYN continued to lose its edge, with year-over-year growth of only 13.2%, and its category share dropping to close to 55%. 

 

However, PMI claimed that ZYN’s category volume was 10% higher than reported by NielsenIQ (approximately 65% according to Circana data), and emphasized that ZYN was growing faster than the overall nicotine pouch market in the U.S.

 

References:
[1] March 2025: VELO reached 10% share in the US, driven by the Velo Plus launch
Also Read:
[1] Concerns Raised Over Promotion of Nicotine Pouches to Minors
[2] BAT to Launch VELO Plus in US with 7 Flavors, Using Synthetic Nicotine
[3] BAT to Launch Synthetic Nicotine Pouch Velo Plus in the U.S., Expected in 2025
[4] BAT Plans to Introduce E-cigarette Vending Machines in Bars
[5] BAT Ireland Reports 22% Revenue from Vapes, 3% from VELO in 2023

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2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

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