Netherlands: RIVM calls for plain packaging of vaping products to reduce their appeal

In a recent analysis[1], The Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM), in collaboration with Wageningen University, highlights the crucial role of flavors and visual characteristics in the appeal of e-cigarettes. The report shows that flavors, particularly sweet ones, as well as the colors of the devices, strongly influence the perception and attractiveness of the products, including among non-smokers. Based on this, it recommends complementing flavor bans with stricter regulations on visual characteristics, notably through the implementation of plain packaging.

Sensory and visual factors are at the heart of e-cigarette appeal.

The report highlights that the appeal of e-cigarettes relies on a combination of sensory and visual factors that go beyond the mere presence of nicotine. In the Netherlands, a quarter of adolescents aged 12 to 16 report having already tried these products, illustrating their widespread availability and normalization. This appeal is based on a multisensory experience, simultaneously engaging taste, smell, and sight.

The results show that sweet flavors are a key factor in the appeal of e-cigarettes. They are perceived as significantly more pleasant than other flavor profiles by both smokers and non-smokers, with no notable difference between these groups. Experimental analyses highlight the activation of brain areas associated with the reward system when these flavors are judged to be pleasant, which contributes to strengthening their attractiveness and their potential for initiating use. The report also emphasizes that this preference for sweet flavors is based on mechanisms comparable to those observed in the food industry, reinforcing their power of attraction.

Beyond aromas, the visual characteristics of products play a crucial role. The report shows that the color of devices directly influences taste perception, regardless of their actual composition. An e-cigarette can thus be perceived as sweeter or more appealing depending on its color, even when the liquid is identical. This effect occurs at different stages, from visual exposure to the product, but also through smell and inhalation. This highlights how attractiveness can be constructed before use. These interactions between visual and gustatory perception confirm the structuring role of design in shaping expectations and the overall user experience.

Measurable effects of regulatory policies, but persistent limitations

The report also analyzes the impact of the ban on non-tobacco flavors, which came into effect in the Netherlands on January 1, 2024. It is based on a survey of just over 1,000 e-cigarette users, including adolescents, young adults, and adults. The results show a significant reduction in use: 40% of users reported having reduced their consumption, and 22% reported having stopped completely. This effect was observed similarly among adolescents and young adults (13–24 years old) and adults, highlighting the overall impact of the measure.[2].

Furthermore, the vast majority of people who stopped vaping did not switch to other nicotine products or tobacco. The report indicates that 73% of individuals who stopped vaping did not replace it with another product, reflecting a real decrease in nicotine consumption. While some adverse effects were observed, 6% of participants reported (re)starting to smoke following the ban; these situations primarily concerned e-cigarette users who may have been former smokers. The overall result remains positive, however, as the total number of tobacco smokers within the sample decreased.

However, these results should be qualified. The report highlights the continued access to flavored products through cross-border purchases, particularly from outlets located abroad. This availability partially limits the effectiveness of national measures and underscores the structural constraints of regulations implemented on a strictly national scale.

Towards broader regulations incorporating neutral product packaging

The report specifically recommends considering the implementation of neutral packaging for vaping products, limiting the use of attractive colors, as well as other design elements such as the shape or features of the device, that could enhance their appeal. This approach aims to reduce the overall attractiveness of the products by acting on the identified sensory and perceptual mechanisms.

The report also highlights the importance of precisely defining permitted flavoring substances, rather than simply prohibiting certain taste categories (such as fruity or sweet flavors). In practice, taste is a perception that is difficult to measure and prove, which complicates controls. Conversely, the chemical composition of a product can be objectively analyzed in a laboratory. By limiting the list of permitted substances, authorities have a simpler and more reliable tool for verifying product compliance and enforcing regulations.

Finally, the RIVM emphasizes the importance of the effective implementation of measures, particularly through strengthened controls and the fight against illegal distribution channels. In this regard, coordination at the European level appears necessary to limit circumvention strategies and ensure consistent application of the rules, a prerequisite for the full effectiveness of public health policies.

In this context, regulations governing product design, through plain packaging, are gradually gaining ground within the European Union. Denmark has already introduced these requirements, and in France, this approach has also recently been brought into the public debate by the National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT).[3], which supported a recent bill aimed at extending plain packaging to all tobacco and nicotine products. This momentum reflects a growing awareness of the role of visual characteristics in the appeal of these new products and the need for stronger regulation at the European level.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE

[1] Sweet flavor and color make e-cigarette appealing, also for non-smokers, RIVM, published on May 4, 2026, accessed the same day

[2] Two in five reduced the use of e-cigarettes after the introduction of the flavor ban, RIVM, published on March 19, 2025, accessed on May 5, 2026

[3] Press release, Generalization of plain packaging: the CNCT supports Nicolas Thierry's bill, CNCT, published on April 15, 2026, accessed on May 5, 2026