Nicotine pouches and lobbying: the tobacco industry goes on the offensive in France

Lobbying spending by tobacco companies exploded between 2023 and 2024. This intensification of lobbying activities, notably driven by the cigarette manufacturer British American Tobacco (BAT), could be partly explained by the tobacco manufacturers' desire to prevent the ban on nicotine pouches in France.

Lobbying spending increased by 85% between 2023 and 2024

According to the online media Contexte, the tobacco industry has significantly increased its lobbying spending between 2023 and 2024.[1]. Each year, tobacco industry players or their representatives must report the amount of their spending allocated to their influence activities to the Ministry of Health. Thus, in 2023, seven organizations and manufacturers reported spending €805,000 on their activities. In 2024, these expenses reached €1.5 million, an increase of €851,000. This year, one additional player reported influence spending: the distributor Logista. With nearly €720,000 declared, almost half of the lobbying spending was made by British American Tobacco. In descending order, they are the Association of Smoking Tobacco Suppliers (€273,600), the Federation of Cigar Manufacturers (€224,540), Philip Morris (€89,796), Imperial Brands Seita (€70,006), and Japan Tobacco (€67,462).

The nicotine pouch leader has more than tripled its influencer spending

Between 2023 and 2024, British American Tobacco increased its lobbying spending by a factor of 3.6. This increase is likely related to the manufacturer's leading position in France in the marketing of nicotine pouches. In 2024, former Health Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq announced her intention to ban nicotine pouches. A few months later, in accordance with European law, the French government notified the European Commission of its proposed decree to ban products for oral use containing nicotine, with a response expected in August 2025.

Manufacturers are pulling all the stops to avoid a ban on nicotine pouches

For its part, the tobacco industry is organizing to face this new regulatory threat. First, at the national level, by mobilizing parliamentarians to submit bills and amendments aimed at favoring regulation rather than banning these new products. Then, at the community level, by relying on certain Member States to delay the publication of the European Commission's opinion. Also according to Contexte, manufacturers have also been working since September 2024 on the development of an Afnor standard, aimed at setting requirements relating to the "safety" and "quality" of nicotine pouches.[2]This standard, published in May 2025, specifies in particular the information that must appear on product labeling, as well as the maximum levels of nicotine (16.6 mg, four times those authorized for nicotine substitutes).

A voluntary standard to get ahead of a potential ban

By definition, an Afnor standard is voluntary and does not impose any constraints on manufacturers. While the publication of a decree banning nicotine pouches would effectively render such a standard obsolete, such an operation aims to "send a strong signal" to the government and encourage it to reverse its decision to ban the product by seeking to assert the tobacco industry's ability to self-regulate and adopt responsible standards. The establishment of standards by the tobacco industry also tends to mislead consumers, by implying risk-free consumption.

However, as specified by the National Committee against Smoking (CNCT), the marketing of nicotine pouches is in fact illegal in France. The advertising and commercial strategy implemented by the tobacco industry thus appears incompatible with the manufacturers' discourse of responsibility. Furthermore, a study jointly conducted by the CNCT and the National Institute of Consumption/60 Million Consumers had warned of the presence of heavy metals, and in particular arsenic, in all the nicotine pouches analyzed.

©Generation Without Tobacco

FT

[1] Background, Tobacco industry to nearly double lobbying spending in 2024 (briefing), 07/07/2025, (accessed the same day)

[2] Context, The tobacco industry uses the standard to convince people of the benefits of nicotine pouches, 07/07/2025, (accessed the same day)