PRODUCT WATCH ROUNDUP We’ve added new information to ASH Wales Product Watch about nicotine products that may be less familiar. Pouchless nicotine pods have a UK-facing retail listing: these small oral portions have no outer pouch and are not designed to melt. We’ve also added international examples of ultra-thin and semi-gel nicotine pouches, and updated our page on gels, creams, sprays and nasal inhalers. UK or Welsh availability has not been established for those international examples. These updates explain what the products are, what is verified and what remains uncertain. They do not establish how widely any product is used in Wales.
Tobacco Point of Sale Displays
Past campaign · policy change achieved
ASH Wales supported restrictions on open tobacco displays in shops as part of wider efforts to reduce tobacco promotion and make smoking less visible to children and young people.
This campaign now sits in our archive. The display restrictions it focused on are part of the current retail tobacco rules in Wales.
What changed?
In Wales, restrictions were introduced in two stages. Large shops were required to hide tobacco displays from 3rd December 2012, followed by other retailers from 6th April 2015.
The rules restricted routine public display of tobacco products while allowing limited displays for permitted activities such as serving customers and restocking.
The campaign
Point-of-sale displays were a major remaining form of tobacco promotion after wider advertising restrictions. ASH Wales backed their removal and used research and public-awareness work to make the case for keeping tobacco out of sight in retail settings.
Where things stand now
Tobacco display restrictions remain in place. The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 gives Welsh Ministers powers to make future regulations covering the display of a wider range of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products; those wider rules depend on further regulations and consultation.
Explore current ASH Wales work
This page records an earlier campaign. See our current campaigns and policy work for the issues ASH Wales is focusing on now.