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Price comparisons for the leading brands of oral nicotine pouches and cigarettes
Nora Satybaldiyeva1, Nina C Schleicher1, Judith J Prochaska1
1Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Prevention Research Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Background And Aims:
United States (US) sales of oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) more than tripled from 2021 to 2024, with Zyn brand consistently the market leader. To understand the relative price of ONPs and cigarettes, this study answers three questions about differences in price for the leading brand of ONPs (Zyn) and cigarettes (Marlboro): What is the difference in price per milligram (mg) of nicotine content? What is the difference in price per mg of nicotine yield (i.e., how much nicotine the product delivers)? Do these differences vary by store type?
Methods:
Using data from a representative sample of California tobacco retailers, this study calculated price per mg of nicotine content and nicotine yield for a canister of Zyn Chill 6 mg ONPs and a pack of Marlboro Red cigarettes among stores that sold both products (n = 716). Weighted, paired-sample t-tests assessed the within-store difference between Zyn and Marlboro price per mg of nicotine content and yield. Two weighted, linear mixed models estimated the within-store difference in price per mg of nicotine content and nicotine yield for Zyn and Marlboro, controlling for store type.
Results:
On average, price per mg of nicotine content in a 15-pouch canister of Zyn Chill 6 mg ONPs was $0.09 (standard deviation [SD] = 0.02) and in a 20-stick pack of Marlboro Red cigarettes was $0.05 (SD = 0.004) (mean difference = $0.04, SD = 0.02, p < 0.001); however, the price per mg of nicotine yield for Zyn was $0.15 (SD = 0.03) and for Marlboro was $0.30 (SD = 0.02) (mean difference = -$0.16, SD = 0.03, p < 0.001). Difference in price per mg of nicotine content was greater in liquor stores (p < 0.001), small markets (p = 0.004), and tobacco specialty shops (p < 0.001) compared with convenience stores; however, the difference in price per mg of nicotine yield was smaller in liquor stores (p < 0.001) and tobacco specialty shops (p < 0.001) compared with convenience stores.
Conclusions:
In stores in California, United States, Zyn brand oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) were priced higher per mg of nicotine content than Marlboro cigarettes, although the average difference was small; however, Zyn ONPs were priced substantially lower than Marlboro cigarettes per mg of nicotine yield. Differences in price also varied by store type.
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