Examining Market Trends in Smokeless Tobacco Sales in the United States: 2011–2019

Abstract

Introduction The smokeless tobacco (SLT) industry in the U.S. continues to transform with novel products amid an evolving regulatory environment. We report SLT sales trends in the U.S. by analyzing retail market scanner data from 2011 through 2019. Methods National SLT sales data were obtained from Nielsen’s Convenience Track System for January 2011 to December 2019. UPC codes were used to classify products by attributes including type, parent company, brand, form, and flavor. Market share was calculated as percentage of total unit sales. Detailed product analysis were presented for moist snuff, snus, and tobacco-free nicotine products. Results SLT sales increased by 5.8% between 2011 and 2016 but declined by 3.9% from 2016 to 2019. Moist snuff sales increased by 8.1% between 2011 and 2016 and then declined 7.4% from 2016 to 2019 but still accounted for roughly 90% of the overall market annually. Between 2011 and 2019, snus sales consistently increased while sales of chew, dry snuff, and dissolvables decreased. Tobacco-free nicotine products emerged in 2016 and captured 4.0% of the market by 2019. Portion pouch packaging and flavors showed consistent growth although their popularity varied by the type of smokeless product. Conclusion This study extends our previous work on U.S. SLT market trends through 2019. Overall sales increased between 2011 and 2016 but there were signs of leveling off including declining sales of moist snuff. Newer products continue to gain market share. Continued monitoring of SLT sales is needed, particularly given the new modified risk status of several products. Implications This study analyzed the last 9 years of smokeless tobacco market data (2011-2019) to describe recent trends in sales. Overall, the smokeless product category is quite resilient although signs suggest downward trends among some product categories and features. New types of smokeless tobacco products (e.g., snus, tobacco-free nicotine pouches) account for a growing share of the market.

The Association between E-Cigarette Price and TV Advertising and the Sales of Smokeless Tobacco Products in the USA

“…Smokeless tobacco (SLT) products in the US market can be categorized into three broad types, chewing tobacco, snuff, and dissolvable SLT products [ 1 ]. Chewing tobacco includes loose leaf, plug, twist, and other chewing tobacco products, with loose leaf being the most popular subtype in the US market [ 1 , 2 ]. Snuff is finely ground tobacco, which can be either dry, moist, or packaged in pouches or packets.…”

“…Snuff is finely ground tobacco, which can be either dry, moist, or packaged in pouches or packets. Moist snuff is the most consumed SLT product in the US, accounting for approximately 90% of all SLT product sales between 2011 and 2019 [ 2 ]. The US snus is a relatively new SLT product, which is packaged in small ready-to-use pouches filled with moist snuff that does not require spitting [ 1 ].…”

“…The US snus is a relatively new SLT product, which is packaged in small ready-to-use pouches filled with moist snuff that does not require spitting [ 1 ]. Dissolvable SLT products, including strips, tablets, and sticks, which can dissolve slowly in the mouth, account for a very small (less than 0.01%) market share in the US [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. In addition to containing nicotine, which could lead to addiction, SLT products also contain other components that are detrimental to users’ health [ 4 , 5 ].…”

“…During the same period, the prevalence of past-30-day use of SLT products declined from 7.9% in 2011 to 4.8% in 2019 among high school students [ 22 , 25 ], and from 3.6% in 2012 to 2.4% in 2019 among adults [ 4 , 26 ]. In addition, the sales data showed that SLT product sales leveled off or decreased since e-cigarettes became popular in the US market around 2016 [ 2 ].…”

Determination of Nicotine-Related Impurities in Nicotine Pouches and Tobacco-Containing Products by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

“…Nicotine-containing tobacco-free oral pouches belong to a new product category that has gained market shares in recent years [1]. The nicotine pouches are similar to snus, but they contain different non-tobacco fillers and nicotine instead of tobacco leaves.…”