According to ECO, this confirmation follows the government’s inclusion of nicotine pouches on the list of tobacco and nicotine products already available in kiosks and subject to the special consumption tax (IEC).

The approval of the sale of these products was eagerly awaited by Tabaqueira, which had already requested authorisation to market nicotine pouches.

Nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco and differ from snus. While the products marketed in Portugal will not contain tobacco, snus, originally from Sweden, are wrapped in tobacco leaf.

The product originated in Sweden and is used by placing the pouch on the gums. However, in order for the country to join the European Union, Brussels legalised the product, which is illegal in the other Member States. However, this is not the case with nicotine pouches, which have already been legalised in most EU countries.

According to ECO, no official launch date has been announced for the product in Portugal, but it is already available in some shops ahead of the official launch.