Investigating the Appeal of Nicotine Pouch Packaging, Flavour and Nicotine Descriptors among Adults in the UK: An Online Experiment.

Abstract

Introdcution: Nicotine pouches have the potential to be used for tobacco harm reduction. Pouches can currently be sold in brightly coloured packaging with conceptual flavour and nicotine descriptors, which may appeal to youth. Therefore, the UK government are considering packaging regulations. We examined the impact of standardised packaging, limiting flavour names and standardising nicotine descriptors on appeal and harm perceptions of nicotine pouches among adults.

Methods: A 2024 Prolific Academic online experiment among UK Adults (N=2,967) was used. Participants were randomised to one of four packaging conditions: (1) branded, (2) standardised with usual descriptors, (3) standardised with limited flavour descriptors, and (4) standardised with limited flavour and standardised nicotine descriptors. Logistic regressions examined associations between packaging conditions and (a) no interest in trying the products displayed and (b) harm perceptions relative to cigarettes.

Results: There were no significant differences in reporting no interest in trying nicotine pouches in branded compared to standardised packaging with usual descriptors, standardised packaging with limited flavour descriptors, and standardised packaging with limited flavour and nicotine descriptors. When stratified by vaping/smoking status, participants who currently vaped had lower odds of reporting no interest in standardised packaging with limited flavour descriptors, compared to branded. There were no significant differences in harm perceptions by packaging condition.

Conclusions: Overall, standardising packaging, limiting flavour descriptors, and standardising nicotine descriptors had little effect on adults' interest in trying nicotine pouches or their perceptions of relative harm. There were, however, some differences by vaping status.

Implications: Findings suggest that if a standardised packaging, flavour and nicotine descriptors policy is introduced for nicotine pouches to deter youth use, there might be little impact on appeal or harm perceptions among adults. This is important because nicotine pouches could be a helpful part of the toolkit for tobacco harm reduction.