VELO is BAT's tobacco-free nicotine pouch, the brand that used to be called LYFT. It comes in Slim cans of 20 and Mini cans of 15, at 4mg to 17mg. We only stock three VELO cans at £4.99, so below you'll also find similar grape, berry and mint pouches we stock at other strengths and prices.
Quick answer: VELO is British American Tobacco's tobacco-free nicotine pouch (formerly LYFT). You tuck one under your top lip for up to 30 minutes, and UK strengths run from 4mg to 17mg (velo.com, as of October 2026). We stock three VELO cans at £4.99 each on our VELO brand page, and the swap table below covers similar flavours and strengths we carry more of.
What are VELO nicotine pouches?
VELO is a small, smoke-free and spit-free pouch. Existing adult nicotine users place it under the lip, where the nicotine is absorbed through the lining of the mouth (velo.com).
| VELO at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Owner | British American Tobacco (BAT) |
| UK seller | Nicoventures Retail (UK) Limited (velo.com footer) |
| Former UK name | LYFT |
| Contains | Nicotine, no tobacco leaf |
| Strengths | 4–17mg per pouch (velo.com product pages, as of October 2026) |
| Formats | Slim (20 per can) and Mini (15 per can), per the velo.com FAQ |
| How long it stays in | Up to 30 minutes |
| At SnusBox | Three cans, £4.99 each |
VELO lists five types of ingredient: water, plant-based materials, flavourings, sweeteners and nicotine. Its sweeteners give taste "without added sugar", in VELO's words. Tesco's listing puts it more plainly: water, plant-based fibres, flavouring, sweetener and nicotine. Our guide to tobacco-free nicotine pouches covers what goes into them in more detail.
The velo.com FAQ says VELO was "born in Sweden and is produced in Europe", and the label on each can gives the manufacturing details.
VELO is for existing adult (18+) nicotine users only.
Who owns VELO, and what happened to LYFT?
BAT owns VELO, and it also owns Epok, which it bought in 2017. BAT launched its tobacco-free pouches in the UK as LYFT in late 2018, then brought them under the VELO name from 2019 (Wikipedia). velo.com's FAQ says LYFT and VELO are identical apart from the name, design and flavour range, and come from the same producer.
Is VELO snus, and is it legal in the UK?
No, VELO isn't snus. Snus is a traditional oral tobacco product, and VELO contains no tobacco, which velo.com's FAQ says in as many words. You'll hear tobacco-free pouches called "white snus", but that's only a nickname. There's no tobacco in them.
Selling tobacco for oral use (traditional snus) has been illegal in the UK since 1992 under the Tobacco for Oral Use (Safety) Regulations 1992 (as of October 2026). The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 re-enacts the ban from 29 October 2026 (s.8). SnusBox sells tobacco-free nicotine pouches, not tobacco snus. Our guide to whether snus is legal in the UK has the full story.
From 29 October 2026, it will be an offence to sell a vaping or nicotine product, including nicotine pouches, to anyone under 18 in England and Wales (s.10, as of October 2026). Scotland and Northern Ireland bring these rules in under separate parts of the Act. SnusBox customers already confirm they're 18+ on the site.
How to use VELO pouches
VELO's own how-to page keeps it to four steps:
- Open the can.
- Tuck one pouch between your upper lip and gum.
- Expect a tingle, which VELO calls the "burn".
- Keep it in for up to 30 minutes, then put it in the bin or the lid compartment.
Use one pouch at a time, within that 30-minute guidance. Don't stack pouches or use them back to back. VELO is spit-free, so there's no need to spit, but don't swallow the pouch. If you do swallow one, VELO says to consult a medical professional. Use a fresh pouch each time.
How to open a VELO can
- Twist the lid to open. That's straight from the velo.com FAQ.
- Use the lid compartment for used pouches. It holds them until you reach a bin.
- Close it fully afterwards. That one's our tip rather than VELO's: a shut lid stops the pouches drying out.
The VELO "burn" explained
The burn is heat and tingling on the gum or in the mouth. VELO puts it down to nicotine, salt and flavourings reacting with the lining of the mouth. It can feel more intense at 8mg and above than at 4mg. Wetter pouches and hot or cooling flavours can also turn it up (velo.com).
It's a normal sensation, but if it's uncomfortable, VELO suggests going down a strength. Our own tip is to try the pouch in a slightly different spot under your lip next time.
How many pouches are in a VELO can? Mini vs Slim
The velo.com FAQ (checked 16 October 2026) says a Slim can holds 20 pouches and a Mini can holds 15. You'll see 18 quoted on some third-party sites, but that doesn't match VELO's own figure.
Slim is VELO's standard pouch, longer and narrower. Mini is smaller and sits lower under the lip. VELO sets strength separately from format, so a Mini isn't automatically weaker (VELO's Mini vs Slim guide).
velo.com lists Icy Berries as Slim only, so our 10mg Icy Berries holds 20 pouches. velo.com doesn't say which Purple Grape strengths come as Mini or Slim, so we haven't quoted a per-pouch price for those.
VELO strengths: how much nicotine is in a pouch?
As of October 2026, velo.com's UK product pages list 4mg to 17mg per pouch, with 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 17mg spread across the flavours. The FAQ gives a shorter list, so go by the product pages and the strength shown on the can.
VELO also groups its range as Mellow, Original and Intense, though its own pages give inconsistent mg bands for these. Our VELO strength guide covers the dots and the full chart.
If you already use nicotine, match the strength you're used to and step up gradually. If you're on 6mg ZYN Strong, for example, 8mg VELO Purple Grape is a modest 2mg step. If you already use nicotine but you're new to pouches, start at the lower end of VELO's range (velo.com calls this Mellow) or our 8mg can, and step up gradually.
The strongest VELO we stock is 10mg. Pouches at 20mg and above aren't sensible unless you're already used to strong pouches. Our best VELO flavours guide picks through the range.
VELO side effects and who shouldn't use it
In velo.com's own words, VELO "is not risk-free and contains nicotine, an addictive substance". We don't make health claims about it. VELO also says it isn't marketed or licensed as a smoking cessation aid.
Common side effects of nicotine pouches include gum tingle or irritation (see the burn section above), hiccups, and nausea if the strength is too high. Our guide to nicotine pouch side effects covers them in more detail.
According to velo.com, VELO isn't suitable for:
- under-18s
- anyone allergic or sensitive to nicotine
- people who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- people with an unstable heart condition, severe high blood pressure or diabetes
velo.com says to stop using it and seek medical advice if you get an irregular heartbeat, an allergic reaction, feel faint, or have nausea or a headache.
Where to buy VELO in the UK, and what it costs
We stock three VELO products across two flavours, all at £4.99: 8mg Purple Grape, 10mg Purple Grape and 10mg Icy Berries. If you're after a VELO mint or a strength we don't carry, the swap table further down is your best bet.
Our 10mg Icy Berries is a Slim can of 20 pouches, which works out at about 25p a pouch.
Elsewhere, velo.com sells online to over-18s with a UK address (velo.com terms) and has a store locator for selected shops. Tesco Groceries lists VELO too.
Here's how our VELO price compares, per can, with similar strengths we stock:
| Product | Strength | Price per can |
|---|---|---|
| VELO | 8mg / 10mg | £4.99 |
| ZYN Strong / ZYN Medium | 9mg / 11mg | £4.19 |
| 77 Medium | 10mg | £3.99 |
| Pablo Silver Edition | 10.2mg | £3.79 |
| Killa | 13.2mg (stronger) | £3.79 |
Our multi-buy discount is 10% off when you buy 10 or more cans, 15% off at 20 or more, 20% off at 30 or more, applied automatically in the basket.
As of October 2026, UK Standard delivery (Royal Mail Tracked 48) takes 2–3 business days and costs £2.99, free on orders over £25. Express (Royal Mail Tracked 24) takes 1–2 business days and costs £4.99, free on orders over £35. Orders placed before 3pm Monday to Friday ship the same working day. Full details are on our delivery page.
How to spot fake or grey-market VELO
- Buy from an established UK retailer, not a random marketplace seller.
- Check the can is sealed and labelled in English.
- Check the strength on the can matches the listing you bought from.
- Check any date printed on the can.
VELO alternatives we stock: like-for-like swaps
We don't carry much VELO, but we do carry plenty of grape, iced berry and mint at similar strengths. Here's how they line up against our VELO cans:
| If you like | Try | Strength | Price per can | vs our VELO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple Grape | 77 Medium Grape Ice | 10mg | £3.99 | Same as our 10mg can |
| Purple Grape | Snü Grape | 12mg | £4.29 | +2mg vs 10mg, +4mg vs 8mg |
| Purple Grape | Killa Grape Ice | 13.2mg | £3.79 | +3.2mg vs 10mg, a clear step up |
| Icy Berries | Zeus Epic Berry | 10mg | £4.29 | Same mg |
| Icy Berries | Garant Prime Frost Berry | 11mg | £3.99 | +1mg |
| Icy Berries | 77 Medium Blueberry Ice | 10mg | £3.99 | Same mg |
| VELO mint (Bright Spearmint, Peppermint Storm, Crispy Peppermint) | ZYN Strong Cool Mint | 9mg | £4.19 | −1mg vs 10mg |
| VELO mint | Zeus Arctic Freeze | 10mg | £4.29 | Same mg as our 10mg cans |
| VELO spearmint | Denssi Spearmint | 11.2mg | £3.99 | +1.2mg |
Mind the strength column. Killa and Snü are only fair swaps if you're already comfortable at that level, so step up gradually rather than jumping. None of these swaps is 20mg or above.
The closest straight swap for our 10mg Purple Grape is 77 Medium Grape Ice. It's the same 10mg and costs £3.99 a can. Our 77 nicotine pouches guide covers the rest of the range.
VELO vs ZYN
| VELO | ZYN | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | BAT | Swedish Match, owned by Philip Morris International since 2022 (SEC filing, November 2022) |
| UK mg range | 4–17mg (velo.com, October 2026) | 1.5–16.5mg (zyn.com, October 2026) |
| Formats | Slim and Mini | Mini and Regular (previously Slim) |
| Price per can at SnusBox | £4.99 | £4.19 |
| What we stock | 8mg and 10mg | 1.5mg to 13.5mg |
Is VELO stronger? Not really. The top UK strengths are almost level, 17mg against 16.5mg. Of what we actually stock, 13.5mg ZYN XX Strong is stronger than any VELO we carry.
Around 10mg, it comes down to flavour and price. 11mg ZYN Medium is £4.19 a can against £4.99 for 10mg VELO. And if you're after a VELO-style mint, which we don't stock in VELO, 9mg ZYN Strong Cool Mint is the obvious stand-in. Our ZYN UK guide runs through every ZYN we stock.
FAQs
Is VELO snus?
No. VELO contains no tobacco, while snus is an oral tobacco product, and selling tobacco snus has been illegal in the UK since 1992 (Tobacco for Oral Use (Safety) Regulations 1992, as of October 2026). People sometimes call tobacco-free pouches "white snus", but it's only a nickname.
Who owns VELO?
British American Tobacco (BAT) owns VELO, and in the UK it's sold by Nicoventures Retail (UK) Limited. It launched in the UK as LYFT in 2018 and moved to the VELO name from 2019.
How long do you keep a VELO pouch in?
Up to 30 minutes, according to velo.com. Then bin the pouch or put it in the lid compartment.
Do you swallow or spit with VELO?
You don't need to spit, as velo.com describes VELO as spit-free. Don't swallow the pouch itself. If you swallow one, velo.com says to consult a medical professional.
How many pouches are in a VELO can?
A Slim can holds 20 and a Mini holds 15, per the velo.com FAQ. Our Mini vs Slim section has the detail.
Is VELO stronger than ZYN?
Not really: the top UK strengths are almost level, 17mg for VELO and 16.5mg for ZYN. Our VELO vs ZYN comparison covers what we stock.
Are VELO pouches healthy?
We don't make health claims. VELO contains nicotine, which is addictive, and velo.com says it isn't risk-free. It's for existing adult nicotine users only, and groups such as people who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn't use it.
Do VELO pouches expire?
VELO doesn't publish a shelf-life figure that we could find, so we won't guess one. If there's a date printed on your can, go by that, and keep the lid closed between uses.
Is VELO naswar?
No. Naswar is a moist smokeless tobacco made from dried, ground tobacco leaves, hydrated lime and wood ash, used mainly in South Asia, especially Pakistan (PLOS ONE, 2022). VELO contains no tobacco leaf, so it isn't naswar.
How old do you have to be to buy VELO?
SnusBox only sells to adults, and customers confirm they're 18+. From 29 October 2026, it will be an offence to sell nicotine pouches to anyone under 18 in England and Wales (Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, s.10, as of October 2026). velo.com also sells only to over-18s.
Where can I buy VELO in the UK?
SnusBox stocks three VELO cans at £4.99 on our VELO brand page. velo.com sells online and lists selected shops, and Tesco also carries VELO. Stick to established UK retailers to avoid grey-market cans.
For adult nicotine users only (18+). Contains nicotine, which is an addictive substance.
