Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is expanding its nicotine pouch presence in the UK through its Nordic Spirit brand, which has signed a long-term partnership with Manchester’s Co-op Live. Under the deal, Nordic Spirit will serve as the venue’s official nicotine pouch partner.
The partnership brings the brand into a major live entertainment setting, where Nordic Spirit plans to engage with existing adult nicotine consumers. Selected bars inside Co-op Live will also offer Nordic Spirit products, adding a new physical sales and brand-activation channel beyond the company’s traditional retail network.
The partnership comes at an important time for the UK nicotine market. The government is preparing tighter rules covering the advertising and sponsorship of nicotine products, making the timing of the agreement particularly notable for the wider industry.
Nordic Spirit Moves Beyond Traditional Retail
Co-op Live opened in Manchester in 2024 and is located within the Etihad Campus. The venue can accommodate up to 23,500 people and hosts major concerts, sporting events, comedy shows and other live entertainment.
For Nordic Spirit, the partnership represents a move beyond more conventional sales channels such as supermarkets, convenience stores and specialist retailers.
Instead of relying solely on shelf presence, the brand can now build visibility around a specific consumer environment: large-scale live entertainment.
According to Grocery Trader, Nordic Spirit will run activities at the venue for existing adult nicotine consumers, while its products will be available in some of Co-op Live’s bars.
Jason De Lencastre, JTI UK Consumer & Brand Activation Lead Manager, said the partnership is intended to give adult nicotine consumers another option while they remain at the venue during events.
Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Co-op Live, also highlighted plans for further venue-based activities between the two companies.
Why Nicotine Pouches Fit Indoor Entertainment Venues
Nicotine pouches occupy a different position from traditional cigarettes and vaping products.
Nordic Spirit products are tobacco-free nicotine pouches that are used orally rather than burned or vaporized. As a result, they do not produce cigarette smoke or vape aerosol during use.
That characteristic can make nicotine pouches relevant to certain indoor environments where smoking and vaping are restricted.
Nordic Spirit sells products across several nicotine strengths in the UK, with flavor options including Sweet Mint, Raspberry, Dark Fizz and Blueberry.
From a marketing perspective, however, the significance of the Co-op Live deal goes beyond product availability.
Large entertainment venues bring together sizeable adult audiences who may spend several hours inside the same location. For nicotine pouch brands, that creates an opportunity to connect the product with a specific type of consumer occasion rather than relying exclusively on traditional retail exposure.
The Timing Matters as UK Regulations Change
The Co-op Live agreement is particularly interesting because it was signed before new UK restrictions on nicotine-product advertising and sponsorship are due to take effect.
The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 establishes a broader framework for regulating the promotion of tobacco, vaping and certain nicotine products.
The UK government has said that wider advertising and sponsorship restrictions are planned to come into force from June 1, 2027.
At present, nicotine pouches do not face the same comprehensive advertising and sponsorship restrictions that apply to tobacco products. The regulatory position is expected to change as the new framework is implemented.
Grocery Trader specifically noted that the Nordic Spirit and Co-op Live agreement was concluded before the relevant sponsorship restrictions were introduced.
This timing is important because Section 131 of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 creates new offences relating to sponsorship involving vaping and nicotine products. However, it would be misleading to state that the existing Co-op Live partnership will automatically become illegal in 2027.
The actual application will depend on the relevant provisions coming into force, transitional arrangements, secondary legislation and government guidance.
A New Phase for UK Nicotine Marketing
The UK nicotine pouch market is entering a period of regulatory change.
Government plans indicate that advertising and sponsorship rules will become significantly broader, potentially affecting how nicotine brands communicate with consumers across digital platforms, commercial partnerships and promotional activities.
That makes the period between 2026 and 2027 particularly important for companies developing their UK marketing strategies.
For Nordic Spirit, the Co-op Live agreement demonstrates an effort to establish a physical presence in a major entertainment environment before the regulatory framework becomes more restrictive.
It also provides an example of how nicotine pouch companies are exploring marketing channels beyond conventional retail.
From Retail Shelves to Consumer Experiences
Nordic Spirit already has a presence across UK supermarkets, convenience stores and online retail channels. The Co-op Live partnership adds another layer to that distribution and marketing strategy.
The difference is that a major entertainment venue offers more than a point of sale. It provides a defined environment where consumers attend concerts, sporting events and other live experiences, often staying for an extended period.
This suggests that competition in the nicotine pouch sector may increasingly involve more than nicotine strength, flavor selection and retail availability. Brand visibility, consumer occasions and physical partnerships can also become important parts of the market.
However, the regulatory environment is moving in the opposite direction. As the UK prepares to introduce broader restrictions on nicotine advertising and sponsorship, brands will have less freedom to use traditional promotional partnerships.
The Nordic Spirit and Co-op Live partnership is notable not only for bringing a nicotine pouch brand into a major UK entertainment venue, but also for the timing of the agreement. The deal comes as the UK is moving toward tighter controls on nicotine advertising and sponsorship, making it an important development for the wider nicotine market.
Looking ahead, the way similar partnerships can be advertised, sponsored, and operated will depend on how the new rules are brought into force. Businesses will need to follow the final legislation, implementation details, and official guidance as the UK’s nicotine marketing regulations continue to evolve.