According to a report by Business Daily Africa on January 25th, a collaborative investigation by three media outlets, The Examination, Africa Uncensored, and The Guardian, has revealed that the Kenyan government relaxed health warnings on nicotine pouch products after British American Tobacco (BAT) threatened to withdraw investments from a new factory in the capital city.
The British American Tobacco company's influence on Kenyan policies is evident in its deliberate strategy of selling its products with smaller health warnings and omitting mention of carcinogenic and toxic substances on product labels.
According to current tobacco regulations in Kenya, warning labels must occupy one-third of the front of the product. However, English American tobacco products are sold with smaller warning labels that only state "this product contains nicotine and is addictive." In contrast, in the UK, English American tobacco informs consumers through warning labels that nicotine pouches contain tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) - a carcinogenic compound found in tobacco, therefore it is not "risk-free".
According to reports, the nicotine pouch brand Velo, owned by British American Tobacco, is extremely popular among Kenyan teenagers. These nicotine pouches release nicotine between the lip and gums, and short videos of Kenyan young TikTokers using Velo products have garnered millions of views. Field surveys have even revealed that these products are being sold in schools. A draft report released by a government-appointed task force has highlighted that young people are more susceptible to the influence of tobacco companies. As a result, some anti-smoking advocates are calling for stringent regulations on these products, while others are urging for a complete ban.
The global market for nicotine pouches has reached a scale of $3 billion in 2021. British American Tobacco considers Kenya as a crucial trial market in middle-to-low-income nations, aiming to establish this country as an operational base to promote their products in South Africa and East Africa.
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