Sales of tobacco and nicotine replacement therapy products, especially nicotine pouches, increased in Finland during the COVID-19 pandemic

Author:

Aro Miia1ORCID,Sandström Patrick1,Ståhl Timo2,Ollila Hanna2,Ruokolainen Otto2,Kurko Terhi3,Keski-Kuha Teemu2ORCID,Vasankari Tuula14

Affiliation:

1. Finnish Lung Health Association, Helsinki, Finland

2. Department of Public Health and Welfare Helsinki, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

3. The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Helsinki, Finland

4. Turku University, Turku, Finland

Abstract

Aim: Some previous studies suggest that the consumption of tobacco and nicotine products overall declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the results are mixed. We investigated tobacco and nicotine product sales in Finland, including the sales of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Our particular focus was on nicotine pouches used as NRT. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sales of tobacco and NRT products in 2020 by comparing the sales to the previous year. Methods: The data were derived from a large sales group (S group) in Finland, representing 46% of the market share in grocery trade in 2020. The gross weekly sales of tobacco (cigarettes, loose tobacco) and NRT (patches, inhalers, tablets, gum and “other”, consisting mainly of nicotine pouches) were retrieved from February to December 2020 from 1062 points of sale throughout the country and compared to the same period in 2019. Results: During this period, there was a significant increase in cigarette sales. Moreover, the sales of NRT were significantly higher throughout 2020 compared with 2019. Specifically, the sales of nicotine pouches sold as NRT increased, especially after the travel restrictions in Finland were initiated and the national boundaries closed in the spring of 2020. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland, the sales of cigarettes and NRT products increased, especially those of nicotine pouches sold as NRT. Our findings call for further research to reveal the factors leading to this increase and to determine whether the situation is long-standing.

Funder

Nummela Foundation

Publisher

SAGE Publications

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4. Finnish Agency Medicines Fimea. (2021). Finnish statistics of medicines 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020, from https://www.julkari.fi/handle/10024/143552https://www.julkari.fi/handle/10024/143552

5. Finnish Grocery Trade Association. (2020). Finnish Grocery Trade Association (2020) Finnish grocery trade 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020, from https://www.pty.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Finnish-Grocery-trade-2020.pdf

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