British American Tobacco aggressively promoting highly addictive Velo nicotine pouches
A charity has issued a warning about the promotion of highly addictive nicotine products to young individuals through influencer marketing on social media. British American Tobacco (BAT), a prominent tobacco company, is actively promoting Velo nicotine pouches, which are small white bags placed under the lips.
After The Guardian brought this matter to Instagram’s attention, the social media platform owned by Facebook promptly removed the content.
The nonprofit organization Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids conducted an analysis of British American Tobacco’s (BAT) social media campaign promoting Velo pouches, spanning from January to May of this year. The analysis revealed that over 25% of the social media audience targeted by the campaign was between the ages of 12 and 24.
Eleven influencers collectively shared 48 posts, reaching an audience of over 1.4 million individuals, primarily located in the UK. Klear, a social listening platform that examines influencer audiences, reported that approximately 28% of the viewers of this content were under the age of 24.
Facebook and Instagram have implemented a policy that prohibits the promotion of tobacco or nicotine products in advertisements, unless they are designated as cessation products. This policy extends to products such as tobacco items, vaporizers, electronic cigarettes, and other smoking simulation products.
A spokesperson from Meta, the parent company of Instagram, stated that the platform does not allow ads or branded content that promotes tobacco-related products. They emphasized their commitment to removing content that violates their rules, as they did in this particular case. Brands are permitted to share information about tobacco-related products, but such content is limited to adults who are 18 years or older.
Velo posts have featured influencers utilizing the popular social media format called GRWM (get ready with me), where they record themselves getting ready to go out.
Renzulli, a representative, stated, “Over the past few months, I have discovered around twelve UK influencers who have either appeared on BAT channels to promote Velo or are using their own platforms to endorse Velo on Instagram.”
One example is a post by D’vey, a London-based disco and house DJ with 62,000 Instagram followers. The post included a social media reel showcasing him performing at a ski resort. The caption mentioned “giving them a show on the snow. Come with me to Tomorrowland Winter,” accompanied by the hashtag #youvegotvelo. Instagram has since removed the content, and D’vey has been contacted for a statement.
Another video from the DJ featured the caption, “Fit check for the @velo.unitedkingdom party! Slay today, Before tomorrow.”
According to Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, the government’s regulations regarding nicotine-containing products are not keeping up with industry advancements. She expresses concern about vaping products and nicotine pouches that are readily visible on high streets and online, appealing to children. These products are currently not subject to age restrictions or limitations on advertising or promotion. While these products are less harmful than smoking, they still contain nicotine, an addictive substance, and should be subject to appropriate regulation. Cheeseman emphasizes the need for the government to adapt its regulations to current circumstances.
In response, a spokesperson from BAT (British American Tobacco) affirms that their tobacco and nicotine products are strictly intended for adults and should not be used by minors. BAT’s approach to brand partnerships exceeds the Advertising Standards Authority’s requirements for advertising age-restricted products, ensuring that collaborations are exclusively with individuals whose adult audience comprises at least 75% of their followers. When selecting partners, BAT specifically considers individuals above the age of 25 and conducts thorough due diligence to verify that the majority of their followers are over 18 years old.
