A store in the center of Helsinki is threatened with fines because it advertises its products too prominently.
Descriptions the “cool refreshing taste” and “deep earthiness” of the nicotine pouches are bringing fines to the store in the center of Helsinki.
The Pouch Embassy store on Keskuskatu is prohibited from marketing its products as prominently as it does now.
In the future, the city of Helsinki will try to prevent, for example, the sale of clothes with the brand name of nicotine pouches and advertising signs with products.
In addition, the city stipulates that nicotine pouches may not be displayed “advertisingly” under glass domes, and the store may not have product sales descriptions.
As an effect of each of the four bans, Helsinki proposes to impose a penalty fine of 5,000 euros, i.e. the sum will rise to 20,000 euros in total.
In the Pouch Embassy shop, the nicotine pouches were luxuriously under glass domes and there were small marketing signs on the table, where the flavors were described poetically. There is a light advertisement on the wall that you want to ban.
Helsinki the city did two inspections of the store last year and one a few weeks ago.
During the inspections, it was noticed that there were light boards of nicotine bag companies on the wall of the store and shirts advertising them were on sale.
Under the glass domes, opened nicotine pouches were on display, which were not meant to be sold to customers, i.e. they were put out to market the products.
On Tuesday, February 13th, the store looked exactly the same as in the fine description. There were the same neon signs on the wall and the same hoodies for sale.
According to the Tobacco Act, nicotine pouches may not be advertised or marketed directly or indirectly, although they may be displayed in specialty stores.
The inspection found that some nicotine pouches were advertised as a “summer flavor” and were described as having an “explosively cool and refreshing taste”.
The second flavor was described in the catalog as “nostalgic, timeless and deeply down-to-earth”.
On the market the owners appealed to the freedom of speech in the constitution, among other things, regarding the billboards. For its part, the city stated that banning light boards does not disproportionately restrict freedom of speech or other basic rights.
The store promised to remove the catalogs, marketing texts and the clothes on sale, but the next inspection revealed that the store did not fulfill its promise.
According to the counterparty, its operations will end at the premises in question at the end of August anyway.
The Environment and Permits Division of the Urban Environment Board will discuss the matter on Thursday.
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