Unit packets

Tobacco Products

The minimum size of a unit packet of a tobacco product is:

1. 20 cigarettes
2. 30 grams of roll-your-own or pipe tobacco, or
3. 10 cigarillos

Except for cigars, tobacco products may not be sold or otherwise supplied to consumers in unit packets that contain smaller packets, or that can be divided into smaller packets.

Cigars may be supplied individually if they are equipped with health warnings and picture warnings required by the Tobacco Act.

Nicotine-containing liquids

Maximum packet sizes of nicotine-containing liquids:

1. Refill container: Max 10 ml
2. Tanks of electronic cigarettes or nicotine cartridge: Max 2 ml

Health and picture warnings

The unit packets of tobacco products must carry text warnings in Finnish and Swedish, as well as pictorial warnings, of the adverse health effects of tobacco products.

The unit packet of a tobacco product must bear:

1. a general health warning ‘Smoking kills’;
2. an informational message ‘Tobacco smoke contains over 70 substances known to cause cancer’.

The unit packet of a tobacco product must bear combined health warnings with one of the following text warnings and a corresponding photograph:

1. Smoking causes 9 out of 10 lung cancers
2. Smoking causes mouth and throat cancer
3. Smoking damages your lungs
4. Smoking causes heart attacks
5. Smoking causes strokes and disability
6. Smoking clogs your arteries
7. Smoking increases the risk of blindness
8. Smoking damages your teeth and gums
9. Smoking can kill your unborn child
10. Your smoke harms your children, family and friends
11. Smokers' children are more likely to start smoking
12. Quit smoking – stay alive for those close to you
13. Smoking reduces fertility
14. Smoking increases the risk of impotence

Combined health warnings must be similar on both sides of the unit packet.

The combined health warnings are grouped into three sets as set out in Annex II of the Tobacco Products Directive, and each set must be rotated on an annual basis.  When rotating the combined health warnings, set 1 referred to in Annex II must be used first, to be followed by the other sets of warnings in numerical order. When all sets of warnings have been used, the rotation begins again from the beginning. A new set of warnings must be taken into use on the 20th of May each year.

According to the guidelines issued by Valvira, unit packets complying with the next set of warnings can be manufactured prior to the said date, but may not be released on the market until 20 May. Unit packets equipped with the previous set of health warnings may not be manufactured as of 20 May. However, the manufacturer is allowed to deliver unit packets manufactured before the said date and labelled with the previous set of warnings to the Finnish market. This applies only to unit packets complying with the new Tobacco Act. Unit packets complying with the old Tobacco Act may not be sold or otherwise supplied to consumers after 20 May 2017.

Picture library referred to in Annex II of the Tobacco Products Directive:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FI/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014L0109&from=EN

Prohibited labelling elements

The labelling of tobacco products and their unit packets must not:

1. promote the product or encourage its consumption by creating an erroneous impression of its characteristics, health effects, risks or emissions;
2. include any information on the nicotine, tar or carbon monoxide content of the product;
3. suggest that the product is less harmful than others or aims to reduce the effect of some harmful components of smoke (phrases such as ’natural’, ’organic’, ’without additives’);
4. suggest that the product has vitalising, energetic, healing, rejuvenating, natural or organic properties, or that its use has other health or lifestyle benefits (such as ’energy’, ’organic’);
5. refer to taste, smell, any flavourings or other additives or the absence thereof (such as ’without flavours’);
6. resemble a food or a cosmetic product;
7. suggest that the product has environmental advantages;
8. suggest that the product is fire safe or otherwise create an impression that the product is not dangerous, or that it has a reduced fire risk compared to other similar products.

This list is not exhaustive – some labelling elements not covered by the list may be subject to intervention, if necessary, by virtue of the provision on marketing ban.

Other labelling

The unit packets of tobacco products must carry a text warning on the adverse health effects of smoking and tobacco smoke, as well as the following text on the cessation of smoking:

Support for cessation: www.tupakkainfo.fi

The Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (so-called SUP Directive) contains marking requirements for certain single-use plastic products. It has been proposed that the national legislation based on the Directive would be included in the Waste Act (646/2011), and that the national competent authority would be the Finnis Safety and Chemicals Agency Tukes.
The marking requirements apply to products placed on the market starting from 3 July 2021. For product categories referred to by the Tobacco Act, the marking requirements apply to:

• tobacco products with filters
• filters marketed for use in combination with tobacco products

More information on Tukes’ website on single-use plastics.  

Unique identifier

In the future, the unit packets of tobacco products must carry a unique identifier to ensure the traceability of the unit packet, as well as a tamper-proof security feature, composed of visible and invisible elements. A price label referred to in the Act on Excise Duty on Tobacco Products may be used as a security feature, providing that it meets all of the technical standards and functional requirements. With respect to cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco, such a security feature must be in place as of 20 May 2019, and with respect to other tobacco products, as of 20 May 2024.

Shape of unit packets

The Tobacco Act only issues provisions on the shape of the unit packets of cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco.

Unit packets of cigarettes shall have a cuboid shape. A unit packet shall consist of carton or soft material. It must not have an opening that can be re-closed or re-sealed after it is first opened. However, a flip-top lid and shoulder box with a hinged lid are permitted. If a unit packet has a hinged lid, it must be hinged only at the back of packet.

Unit packets of roll-your-own tobacco shall have a cuboid or cylindrical shape, or the form of a pouch.

Unit packets of electronic cigarettes and refill containers must include:

1. a list of ingredients contained in the product in descending order of weight
2. an indication of the nicotine content of the product and the delivery per dose
3. the manufacturer’s batch number
4. a recommendation that the product be kept out of reach of children
5. health warnings in Finnish and Swedish
6. a leaflet with the following information on the product and its use:

• instructions for the use and storage of the product, including a statement that the product is not recommended for use by young people and non-smokers
• information on illnesses and other health-related circumstances preventing the use of the product
• warnings for specific risk groups
• information on the product’s possible adverse effects
• information on the addictiveness and toxicity of the product
• contact details of the manufacturer and importer and a contact person within the European Union.

Refill containers for electronic cigarettes must always be sold in unit packets (a bottle is not a unit packet as required by the Tobacco Act) equipped with the following warning on nicotine: ”This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance”. The warning must appear on the two largest surfaces of the unit packets of electronic cigarettes and refill containers.
In addition, the unit packets of nicotine-free liquids intended for vaporisation must include a list of the ingredients contained in the product in descending order of weight.

Markings referred to in subsections 1, 2 and 5 above are not required for the unit packets of electronic cigarettes that are not pre-filled with nicotine-containing liquid.

According to the Tobacco Act, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (the so-called CLP Regulation) applies to the labelling of electronic cigarettes and refill containers.

Labels complying with the CLP Regulation are not required for electronic cigarettes sold empty but only for single-use electronic cigarettes pre-filled with nicotine liquid. Similarly to refill containers, such single-use electronic cigarettes pre-filled with nicotine-containing liquid are regarded as unit packets for a chemical.

For more detailed information on labelling required by the CLP Regulation, visit the website of the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) (http://www.kemikaalineuvonta.fi/en/EU-Regulations/CLP-Regulation/).

Prohibited labelling elements

The labelling of electronic cigarettes, refill containers of nicotine-containing liquid, nicotine-free liquids intended for vaporisation and their unit packets must not:

1. promote the product or encourage its consumption by creating an erroneous impression of its characteristics, health effects, risks or emissions
2. include any information about the tar or carbon monoxide content of the product
3. suggest that the product is less harmful than others or aims to reduce the effect of some harmful components of smoke
4. suggest that the product has vitalising, energetic, healing, rejuvenating, natural or organic properties, or that its use has other health or lifestyle benefits
5. resemble a food or a cosmetic product
6. suggest that the product has environmental advantages
7. suggest that the product is fire safe or otherwise create an impression that the product is not dangerous, or that it has a reduced fire risk compared to other similar products.

Herbal products for smoking may be sold and otherwise supplied to consumers only in unit packets that comply with Tobacco Act and the provisions issued under it as well as with relevant EU legislation. The Tobacco Act contains provisions on the information of the unit packets of herbal products for smoking.

Health warnings

Unit packets of herbal products for smoking shall include warnings in Finnish and in Swedish on the adverse health effects of the product.

The unit packet shall include a warning on the smoking of the product, the text of which is: ”Tämän tuotteen polttaminen vaarantaa terveytesi” (the smoking of this product endangers your health). The health warning must be positioned on the external front and back surface of the unit packet and any outside packaging.

Prohibited labelling elements

The labelling of herbal products for smoking and their unit packets shall not:

1. promote the product or encourage its consumption by creating an erroneous impression about its characteristics, health effects, risks or emissions
2. include any information about the nicotine, tar or carbon monoxide content of the product
3. suggest that the product is less harmful than others or aims to reduce the effect of some harmful components of smoke
4. suggest that the product has vitalising, energetic, healing, rejuvenating, natural or organic properties or that its use has other health or lifestyle benefits
5. resemble a food or a cosmetic product.

The product or its unit packet shall not state that the product is free of additives or flavourings.
Considering the beforementioned, herbal product for smoking or its unit packet shall not state that it does not contain nicotine or tobacco.