Top Takeaways:
- ZONE enters the UK nicotine pouch market at £6.50 (20 count can) with five flavors and two nicotine strength levels (10 mg & 11 mg).
- The 9-12 mg strength segment already represents 43.4% of the UK pouch market, and ZONE projects category growth of 234% over five years.
- Imperial states ZONE provides retailers with a “business-building opportunity” and backs its growth strategy for non-combustible oral nicotine.
Imperial Brands has introduced a new nicotine pouch brand, ZONE, in the UK, aimed at helping retailers capitalize on the growing consumer interest in nicotine pouches while also appealing to adult nicotine users seeking a less risky nicotine delivery system.
Each ZONE pack contains 20 pouches in a slimmer format for improved mouthfeel and discreet usage, with a recommended retail price of £6.50.
The initial selection features five flavor options: Sweet Mint, Cool Mint, Watermelon Ice, Juicy Peach, and Berry Blast.
As the nicotine pouch category expands, products with a 9-12 mg strength now make up 43.4% of the market, and ZONE will be available in 10 mg strength across four flavors, with 11 mg strength offered in Cool Mint and Berry Blast.
“With the category volume predicted to grow by 234% in the next five years the opportunity to develop an alternative high-quality nicotine solution for the UK market was significant,” UK Market Manager Andrew Malm said.
He added that ZONE “is the result of extensive research and product development … as well as providing a great business building opportunity for the retail trade.”
Malm said the roll-out in independent retailers is “taking place over the next few weeks” and aims to give retailers “an attractive and competitive offering for nicotine pouch customers.”
The brand is produced in a “state-of-the-art European facility,” according to Imperial, and aligns with the company’s broader strategy for non-combustible and tobacco-free oral nicotine products.
