Start the autumn with Stoptober

The Department of Health and Social Care’s annual stop smoking campaign, Stoptober, has been a critical part of public health efforts since its inception in 2012. With over 2.5 million people attempting to quit smoking through the campaign, Stoptober 2024 is poised to be another significant opportunity to encourage the remaining five million smokers in England to take the step towards a smoke-free life. The campaign’s core message remains the same: if smokers can stay smoke-free for 28 days, they are five times more likely to quit for good.

As smoking rates continue to decline, convenience retailers have an opportunity to contribute to this public health movement by promoting a range of tobacco harm-reduction products – such as vapes, nicotine pouches, and heat-not-burn tobacco (HNB) – that provide smokers with effective alternatives to quit. For retailers, Stoptober offers a prime opportunity to both support their customers’ health and boost sales in the rapidly growing category of reduced-risk products.

Vaping has become one of the most effective tools for helping smokers quit cigarettes, with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, formerly Public Health England, repeatedly affirming that it is “at least 95 per cent less harmful” than smoking. For retailers, vaping products provide a compelling option to stock as part of their Stoptober promotions.

Proven way to quit  

The NHS Better Health website notes that smokers are roughly twice as likely to quit smoking if they use a nicotine vape compared with other nicotine replacement products, like patches or gum.

In fact, earlier this year, the Cochrane Review, considered to be the gold standard of research summation, has once again confirmed that nicotine vapes are more effective in helping people quit smoking than conventional nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

The review of studies published on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in January found “high certainty” evidence that e-cigarettes lead to better chances of quitting smoking than patches, gums, lozenges or other traditional NRT.

The review included 88 studies and more than 27,235 participants – an addition of 10 studies since the last update in November 2022. Most of the studies analysed took place in the US, the UK or Italy.

The analysis found that for every 100 people using nicotine e-cigarettes to stop smoking, eight to 10 would be expected to successfully stop, compared with six of 100 people using traditional NRT, and with four of 100 trying to quit with no support or behavioral support only.

Later, in June, a groundbreaking study revealed that nicotine vapes are as effective as the drug varenicline (also called Campix) in aiding smoking cessation.

Marketed in the UK by Pfizer since 2006, Champix was an important stop smoking aid until 2021 when it was withdrawn on safety grounds. A 2013 Cochrane overview and network meta-analysis concluded that varenicline is the most effective medication for tobacco cessation.

The randomised clinical trial, conducted in northern Finland from August 2018 to February 2020, demonstrated that 40.4 per cent of participants in the e-cigarettes group and 43.8 per cent in the varenicline group achieved smoking abstinence, compared to only 19.7 per cent in the placebo group.

The findings, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, were statistically significant, indicating that both nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and varenicline have been effective in promoting smoking cessation.

Retailers can tap into the success of vaping during Stoptober by creating visually engaging displays that highlight vape starter kits, e-liquids, and the health benefits of switching from smoking to vaping. Placing these displays near checkout areas can capture attention and encourage impulse purchases.

Offering educational materials or even free samples of starter kits can make the transition less daunting, while staff training to answer common questions about vaping enhances customer confidence in these products.

HNB as a middle ground

For smokers who aren’t ready to fully switch to vaping, heat-not-burn tobacco products can offer a middle ground. These products heat tobacco without burning it, reducing exposure to harmful chemicals. While not as widely adopted as vaping, they provide an alternative for those looking for a familiar smoking experience with fewer risks.

With the heated tobacco category currently worth £120 million in traditional retail and growing 8.9 per cent YOY, the two major players in the sector, JTI and Philip Morris International (PMI) have been expanding the presence of their latest innovations, Ploom X Advanced and IQOS ILUMA.

In June, JTI brought Ploom X Advanced to independent and symbol group retailers in Sheffield and Glasgow, in addition to the availability in key multiple grocers across the country, as well as convenience and vape retailers in London, as the brand looks to build the category.

The Ploom X Advanced device, brought to market in September 2023, comes with an optimised HeatFlow system and faster charging, now taking less than 90 minutes to achieve a full charge. Ploom device sales have almost doubled since last year, and JTI hopes to build on this success with the highly anticipated expansion outside of Greater London.

“The Ploom brand has shown really encouraging growth, particularly over the last 12 months, and we have big plans to take this even further in 2024 with our expansion into the independent convenience channel outside of London,” Mark McGuinness, marketing director at JTI UK, said at the time.

“Our estimates suggest the heated tobacco category will be worth £400 million by 2027 as more customers are seeking an alternative but familiar tobacco experience with devices that heat tobacco instead of burning it.”

In March, PMI marked the tenth anniversary of IQOS, originally launched in Nagoya, Japan in 2014, by launching IQOS ILUMA in Japan, the latest addition to its growing portfolio of smoke-free products.

Since its launch in September last year, IQOS ILUMA and TEREA tobacco sticks have been performing strongly within grocery and convenience. IQOS ILUMA disrupted the category by introducing induction-heating technology that heats tobacco from within, to provide a consistent taste experience, no tobacco residue, and no need to clean the device.

Earlier this year, IQOS net revenues even surpassed those for Marlboro, making it the number one international nicotine brand in the PMI portfolio.

“IQOS has spearheaded growth in the heated tobacco category in the UK, as more adult smokers demand a less harmful tobacco alternative that is affordable, clean, and effortless,” Christian Woolfenden, managing director of Philip Morris Limited (PML), in the UK and Ireland, said at the time.

“The introduction of IQOS ILUMA to the market has further bolstered this momentum, with retailers now embracing the growing demand for IQOS.”

Nic pouches for flexibility

Nicotine pouches, another growing trend in harm reduction, offering smokers a discreet and smokeless way to reduce nicotine cravings. These products are particularly appealing for smokers who may not want to vape or use heat-not-burn products but still need a nicotine replacement therapy.

The category has been witnessing a surge in demand of late, with Prime Nic Pouches, a leading online store for nicotine pouches, reporting a staggering 289 per cent increase in UK sales for the month of June 2024 compared to the previous month.

The top-selling flavour categories were mint and berry, accounting for over 90 per cent of all nicotine pouch purchases made on the Prime Nic Pouches online store during June.

“This remarkable growth in UK sales is a testament to the increasing popularity of nicotine pouches as a smoke-free alternative,” said George Muharib, director of Prime Nic Pouches, highlighting the success of Zyn, the leading nicotine pouch brand in the US, as an indicator of the category’s potential in the UK.

“In 2023, 385 million cans of Zyn were shipped in the US, with a forecast of 520 million cans in 2024, according to The Wall Street Journal. With such phenomenal growth in America, we predict a huge uptake in the UK market as well,” he said.

Zyn is part of the PMI portfolio now, following the tobacco giant’s acquisition of Swedish Match in 2022 in a $16 billion deal.

Muharib also highlighted recent findings that underscore the growing popularity of nicotine pouches, even in professional sports.

“A recent study by Loughborough University, as reported by The Guardian, revealed that approximately one in five professional footballers in the UK are using snus or nicotine pouches,” he noted.

“The survey, which included players from the Premier League, EFL, and WSL, found that 18 per cent of male players and 22 per cent of female players reported using these products. This data not only indicates the widespread adoption of nicotine pouches but also suggests a potential for even greater growth as awareness increases.”

In August, Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK announced a major consumer activation plan to get its recently launched XQS nicotine pouch brand into the hands of thousands of consumers throughout the summer.

The activation has seen a huge 60-day sampling campaign in high footfall areas across London, as well as smaller sampling campaigns in other cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and Leeds. This has been supplemented by festival sampling, targeted office drops and a sizeable social media campaign across a variety of channels.

STG acquired Swedish smoke-free brand XQS last year, as a core part of the company’s growth strategy is to enter the next gen nicotine category to complement its core range and diversify its portfolio. XQS pouches are recognised for their innovative flavours and in recent years the brand has expanded into new territories, including Switzerland and South Africa, amongst others, as well as showing strong growth in its native Sweden.

“We know existing pouch users are going to love XQS when they try it, due to the great flavours and uniquely smaller pouch size, so driving trial by getting cans into hands is an important part of our strategy,” commented Prianka Jhingan, STG’s UK head of marketing.

During Stoptober, retailers can promote nicotine pouches as an alternative for smokers by highlighting the convenience and versatility of the product. Since they can be used anywhere and at any time, this flexibility could appeal to a range of customers looking to quit smoking but hesitant to try other methods.