Sweden is moving closer to becoming one of the first smoke-free countries in the EU, and lessons from this transition are now reaching Southeast Asia. Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is using its Swedish expertise to introduce nicotine pouches in the Philippines, the first launch of this category in Asia.
With only 5.4 percent of Swedes smoking daily, compared to one in five EU citizens, the country credits strict anti-smoking rules, a ban on advertising, and the availability of alternatives. Nicotine pouches have grown rapidly in popularity.
JTI’s Vårgårda factory on Sweden’s west coast – with over 200 years of tobacco history – has been producing Nordic Spirit since 2018. The brand is now exported beyond Europe.
“Convincing Swedish smokers to switch to nicotine pouches is not too difficult,” said Sara Sillen, JTI Corporate Affairs and Communications Director Nordic. Company figures show that around 60 percent of pouch users are former smokers.
The Philippines became the first Asian market to see the product when JTI introduced Nordic Spirit in 2023. Karin Tan, Director for Reduced Risk Products at JTI Philippines, said response has been strong, with many Filipinos finding the oral format familiar due to betel nut traditions.
“We are bringing Sweden’s best to the Philippines, with Filipino consumers in mind,” Tan said.
To appeal to local buyers, JTI launched a small pack priced at PHP 35 (about EUR 0.55) containing five pouches. While cigarettes still dominate in Southeast Asia, JTI sees growth potential and faces competition from Philip Morris International’s Zyn and British American Tobacco’s Velo and Lyft.
For Sweden, long accustomed to smokeless products such as snus, the rise of nicotine pouches highlights a shift that may shape tobacco use globally. For Asia, the Philippine launch signals the start of a wider transition.
Source: Inquirer.net
In Thailand, snus (pouches) is available and has been for several years.