The Tobacco and Related Products Act (Tobacco Act or TabakerzG) from 2016 explicitly bans the sale of oral tobacco products in Germany, with the exception of chewing tobacco, which is not legally defined as an “oral tobacco product”. Snus is forbidden.
The German authorities consider tobacco-free nicotine pouches to be foods containing the unauthorised novel food ingredient nicotine, meaning they cannot be placed on the German market.
This report provides comprehensive analysis of the regulatory framework in place for nicotine pouches and oral tobacco in Germany, covering all policy areas from taxation and advertising to market access and packaging restrictions.
