Smoking in Sweden is disappearing from the statistics and is now around 4 per cent. At the same time, cigarettes still top sales in many shops. CAN's new figures show a clear shift towards smoke-free nicotine products - but also a market where the most harmful alternatives continue to dominate sales.
- Calling Sweden smoke-free gives a distorted picture of reality. Cigarettes both sell best and cause the most harm," says Vont CEO Ramin Warda.
Smoking in Sweden continues to decline as more people use snus and vejpar. This is shown in CAN's latest report for 2025. At the same time, nicotine use varies between different groups, and cigarette sales still account for a significant share of the market.
In 2025, nearly 330 000 Swedes smoked daily. About the same number vejpade while almost 2 million used snus, white or brown.
Clear substitution - smoke-free takes over
The trend in CAN's report follows the same pattern as in the last five years. Smoking is around 4-5 per cent of the population and has virtually disappeared among men, while it is declining among women and young people. At the same time, total nicotine use has remained at about the same level since 2019.
What has changed is how nicotine is consumed. Snus - especially white snus - has increased, as have e-cigarettes, although 1TP8 use levelled off slightly in 2025.
For many analysts, it is clear what is happening: smokeless nicotine is replacing smoking.
Disposable vapes drive sales
Sales figures confirm the trend. Nicotine pouches account for the largest increase, but e-liquid sales have also risen sharply - by 640% between 2021 and 2024 according to CAN.
A large part of the increase is linked to disposable models sold since 2021 through supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations, rather than through specialised vejpshops.
For companies like Vont, this has meant rapid growth. Founded in 2019 with the ambition to become ”a Swedish manufacturer of high-quality e-cigarettes”, the company now has more than 20 employees.
- There are thousands of brands on the market, often from Chinese manufacturers, distributed by a few players in Sweden. For us, it's about standing out and building trust with retailers," founder and CEO Ramin Warda tells Vejpkollen.
Fierce competition in shops
In the convenience sector, the market for e-cigarettes is dominated by two main players. Vont accounts for around 40 per cent of sales, while the Ecigg distribution chain accounts for around 30 per cent.
In addition, the tobacco companies Swedish Match and British American Tobacco together account for around 10 per cent. The Ecig chain distributes several major international brands, such as Frunk Bar, Elfbar and N One, while Vont is only available under its own brand.
E-cigarettes have become an established product category - and a direct competitor to cigarettes, with all that this implies, says Ramin Warda.
- Today, e-cigarettes are available almost everywhere cigarettes are sold. This has opened a lot of doors, but it also means we are competing directly with the tobacco companies. It's a completely different level than before, when we vejp companies were the only ones fighting for shelf space," says Ramin Warda.
Young people driving the vejp trend
Despite the growth, e-cigarette use remains relatively low in the population. Just over 3% use e-cigarettes occasionally and around 0.6% vejp regularly. But there are big differences between groups. People under 30 are the main users of vejp, and within this group, young women stand out. However, white snus is the fastest growing nicotine product in Sweden.
Cigarettes still on top
But while smoking is declining, sales data show a different picture in the trade. Cigarettes are very much a product to be reckoned with.
- Looking at Nielsen data from major petrol chains, eight of the top ten nicotine products sold are cigarettes. Marlboro and Winston are at the top, and the first white snuff box only appears in fourth place," says Ramin Warda.
The first e-cigarette - a Vont model - is only found around position 40.
- Cigarettes are still on top by a wide margin. "It's difficult to reconcile this with the image of Sweden as a smoke-free country. Smokers are barely visible in the statistics and do not seem to be prioritised," says Ramin Warda.
“The focus is misplaced”
According to Ramin Warda, the focus in the prevention work therefore change. The target must be the 330,000 Swedes who still smoke, not those who use smokeless nicotine.
- It is smokers we need to reach out to. Getting more people to switch to less harmful alternatives should be a top priority. But today, most of what we read in the media and from politicians is about snus and vapes. When was the last time you saw a campaign against smoking in schools? No, they don't care about that anymore," says Ramin Warda and continues:
- "It is frightening that virtually all public initiatives seem to ignore smokers and choose to focus only on reducing the use of e-cigarettes and smokeless nicotine. "Smoking is still a natural part of life for many Swedes, and it is frightening that several government-funded organisations are trying to sweep it under the carpet," says Ramin Warda.
