A shortage of Zyn, a smokeless nicotine pouch that users tuck into their lips to get a buzz, has fueled a wave of social media outcry in recent weeks, amplified by a legal challenge that
forced its parent company to halt online sales earlier this week.
Zyn has been around since 2014, but sales took off in the past year amid a wave of online creators (“Zynfluencers”) expressing their loyalty to the product alongside mentions from popular
podcasters like Joe Rogan and the Nelk Boys.
The increased attention has helped fuel a sales boom: In April, Philip Morris, which acquired Zyn maker Swedish Match for $16 billion in 2022, reported shipments had soared 80% year over year to reach 131.6 million cans. Today,
Zyn accounts for approximately 3 of every 4 purchases of oral smoke-free products,
according to Tobacco Reporter, an industry publication.
In a statement, a Philip Morris spokesperson acknowledged that there was a “short-term inventory constraint” on Zyn that was “demand driven.”
“An increasing number of adult smokers are choosing Zyn as a better alternative than continued smoking,” the spokesperson said. “No regulatory or production issues have affected distribution.”
Online and in interviews with NBC News, Zyn users have voiced frustration with getting their hands on Zyn products.
“I’ve just kind of moved to another brand while they figure out the shortage problem, which isn’t ideal, but you know, it is the only thing you can do at this point,” said James Perkins, the CEO of a software startup and a Zyn user.
On
TikTok, content creator Hayden Iverson called the shortage a “Zyndemic,” saying he would be rationing his Zyn cans. At the end of May, he said, he went to four different stores near his home in Boca Raton, Florida, but wasn’t able to find any of his preferred tins.
