What is TPD?
The Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is an EU initiative which was created to increase health protection and awareness for consumers of tobacco products. It covers everything from how products are advertised, who they can be sold to and how they can be displayed. It also regulates the manufacturing process (including testing of the ingredients) and the packaging products need to have (like nicotine and health warnings). Finally, it also includes regulations surrounding where people can use tobacco products and how they’re taxed. TPD covers a wide range of products from your off-the-shelf cigarettes, rolling tobacco, cigars and e-cigarettes (including vapes and e-liquids).
The Tobacco Products Directive was created in May 2014 but came into effect on the 20th of May in 2016. After that time, any products that were not compliant could no longer be sold by retailers. Once TPD came into effect, some brands and products were no longer available in the as they didn’t comply with the regulations. For example, brands from the States aren’t required to manufacture products to the same specifications so not all products from the US are legally allowed to be sold in the EU.