Importing a nicotine product into Finland
A launch in Finland is a process whose timetable is set by the authorities, not by sales. For e-cigarettes and refill containers the advance notification must be filed six months before the product enters the market, which means a realistic timeline from first contact to shelf is six to twelve months. For nicotine pouches a notification must be filed, but there is no waiting period — there the timetable is set by the range negotiations.
From the first message to continuing cooperation
Contact and first assessment
You tell us what the product is, where it is sold now and what you are aiming for in Finland. We normally reply within a week — even when the answer is no, if we can see there is no place for the product in Finland.
Product assessment
We go through the product: regulatory requirements, product limits and how realistic the pricing is after excise duty. We try the product ourselves.
Notifications and taxes
Product notification and notification fee, excise duty liability, labelling and producer responsibility. For e-cigarettes and refill containers this stage governs the timetable.
Range negotiations
We take the product to our own shops, to other specialist shops and, where applicable, into the chains' range processes. Chains' range periods vary, but they are less flexible than those of specialist shops and B2B portal customers, so timing matters.
Distribution and what comes after
The product goes into the B2B portal and into distribution. We track how the product sells and tell you honestly when a product is not moving.
Not every product suits the chains, and that is not a failure. A chain's range is limited and weighted towards volume products; some products find their place in specialist shops and stay there. We say so plainly at the outset, so that expectations are realistic.
Excise duty shapes the retail price more than the factory price does
In Finland, nicotine products are subject to tobacco excise duty. The duty is typically larger than the purchase price of the product, so pricing is calculated backwards from the duty. This surprises most manufacturers entering Finland for the first time.
| E-liquids and e-cigarettes containing liquid | The duty is charged as a unit duty per millilitre. In euro terms the duty is the same regardless of the product's price and nicotine strength — including for nicotine-free liquids. |
| Nicotine pouches and other solid smoke-free products | A unit duty per gram and an ad valorem duty on the retail price. On the cheapest products a unit-based minimum duty is charged instead of these two — it is not a third separate duty but a floor that replaces them when they would fall below it. |
| Who is liable | The importer, that is, us. You do not need to register as liable for tax in Finland and you do not need a tax warehouse of your own. |
| What this means for pricing | For liquids the duty does not vary. It is the same amount in euros on a cheap product and an expensive one, so it narrows the gap between them: a low factory price does not produce a correspondingly low shelf price. For pouches the duty varies in part, because the ad valorem duty follows the retail price — less of it is paid on a cheaper product. The minimum duty still sets a lower limit on how far the retail price can fall: below a certain point the duty stops decreasing. |
| Rates | The rates are reviewed regularly in legislation and have risen in recent years. The rates in force are on our regulation page, and we give the calculated price level at the assessment stage. |
Source: the Act on Tobacco Excise Duty and the Tax Administration's tobacco duty table; on the structure of the minimum duty, Government Proposal HE 96/2025. Always check the current table with the Tax Administration or ask us.
Have these ready
| Product details | Composition, nicotine strength, pack sizes and country of manufacture |
| Regulatory documentation | Test reports and any EU-CEG data, if the product has already been notified elsewhere |
| Pricing | Factory price and an estimate of the retail price the product will reach in Finland after excise duty |
| Supply capability | Minimum order quantities, lead time and the ability to meet demand if the product succeeds |
| Exclusivity | Whether Finnish distribution is available and on what terms |
We do not need marketing material. In Finland it cannot be used.
A short message is enough to start
Tell us what the product is and where it is sold now. We answer every enquiry, even when the answer is no.