The Zyn shortage, explained – when can we expect supply to be replenished?

Where has all the Zyn gone? Across the country shops are experiencing a shortage in the hugely popular nicotine pouches. But what is the reason for this sudden shortage? And can we expect Zyn to return to store shelves anytime soon?

According to an article from Fortune, some New York smoke shops have reported they’re out of Zyn, while wholesalers in Florida and New Jersey have said that “the pouches have been hard to get.” It’s been an issue for several weeks now, though it didn’t affect retail stock until mid to late May. Customers have certainly started noticing, with users on Reddit questioning the lack of Zyn in their local shops.

So what is the cause of the Zyn shortage?

The truth is, Philip Morris International Inc., the company behind the massively popular Zyn pouches, is struggling to keep up with the demand for the product. The company,lso responsible for selling Marlboro cigarettes outside of the US, reported that there had been a significant uptick in sales during the first quarter of 2024. 

Essentially, the company is growing at such a rate that it is causing problems in the supply chain. All things considered, there are definitely worse problems PMI could be experiencing right now.

Why are Zyn suddenly selling so fast?

There are many factors that could have led to the surge in sales. Zyn first started selling in the US in 2014, but started seeing a lot of attention in 2023 thanks to influencers on TikTok. Discussion around the topic led to some pretty organic marketing for the company and even people like Tucker Carlson were online discussing the supposed benefits of the little nicotine pouches. 

Of course, some of these benefits relating to Zyn weren’t intended, for example, many have talked about the fact that the product suppresses appetite, leading some to use them as a method to lose weight. This isn’t the intended use, but for lots of customers, it’s a legitimate selling point with the pouches being compared to Ozempic due to their supposed effectiveness when it comes to weight loss.

When will the shortage end?

It could be a while before we see stock return to normal. An article from Business Insider reports that although PMI is working on getting the cans back on shelves, it’s not expected to have the shortage solved until the end of the year. The company’s financial officer, Emmanuel Babeau, confirmed that “we believe that we’re going to be back to a normal situation in the course of Q4.” As well as stating that PMI would be working on a new production location in the US next year.

Unfortunately, as of right now, there’s not a lot that can be done about the Zyn shortage, customers will just have to keep an eye out for the little cans and grab them when they can. But at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it might be a few more months yet but brighter days are ahead.