How has Expenditure on Nicotine Products Changed in a Fast-Evolving Marketplace? A Representative Population Survey in England, 2018-2022

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of how much users spend on various types of cigarettes and alternative nicotine products in England between 2018 and 2022. The study aims to estimate the weekly expenditure on cigarettes, e-cigarettes, NRT, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches and describe changes in these expenditures over time. The study also examines differences in expenditure by sociodemographic and product use characteristics.

Key Points:

* The study uses data from a monthly representative cross-sectional survey in England, with 10,323 adults who smoked cigarettes or used alternative nicotine products.
* Smokers spent an average of £20.49 per week on cigarettes, with those who mainly smoked manufactured cigarettes spending around double that of those smoking hand-rolled cigarettes.
* Expenditure on e-cigarettes increased by 31% between 2018 and 2022, with users who mainly used disposable devices spending 40% more than those who used refillable devices.
* Expenditure on NRT increased by 20% between 2020 and 2022.
* Expenditure on cigarettes grew by 10% from September 2018 to July 2020, then fell by 10% from July 2020 to June 2022, coinciding with a 13% reduction in cigarette consumption and a 14% increase in the proportion mainly smoking hand-rolled cigarettes.
* Expenditure on alternative nicotine products increased above inflation, with users spending around a third more on these products in 2022 than they did between 2018 and 2020.
* The average smoker in England currently spends the same amount on cigarettes each week as they did in 2018, but expenditure on alternative nicotine products has increased above inflation.

Main Message:
The study highlights the changing expenditure patterns on cigarettes and alternative nicotine products in England between 2018 and 2022. While expenditure on cigarettes has fallen since 2020, it has been achieved by smoking fewer cigarettes and switching to cheaper hand-rolled cigarettes. Expenditure on alternative nicotine products, on the other hand, has increased above inflation, with users spending around a third more on these products in 2022 than they did between 2018 and 2020. The study emphasizes the need for continued monitoring of expenditure patterns to inform policy decisions and communicate useful information to smokers to inspire them to switch to less harmful products.

Jackson, S. E., Tattan-Birch, H., Shahab, L., & Brown, J. (2023). How has Expenditure on Nicotine Products Changed in a Fast-Evolving Marketplace? A Representative Population Survey in England, 2018-2022. Nicotine & Tobacco Research: Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 25(9), 1585–1593. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntad074