How long do snus and nicotine pouches last?
There are a few questions that I commonly get asked when it comes to snus and nicotine pouches. Some of these include:
“How long does snus last?”
“How long can you store snus for?”
“Can you use expired snus?”
“How do you read the dates on the bottom of the can?”
Today, I’m going to answer these lingering questions you may have and discuss snus storage, snus refrigeration, snus dates, and all that good stuff. We’ll also include nicotine pouches in the discussion, because they’re also sold here on SnusExpress.com, and they generally can be stored the same way as Swedish Snus, or chew bags if you’re an EU consumer. Snus is, in Sweden, regulated as a food product. I like to look at it the same way, as a perishable good. Looking at it that way, I treat it the same regarding storage and refrigeration. I will use expired snus, and do regularly, but I won’t eat expired food. Usually. It depends. But I’ll touch more on expiration dates and all that good stuff, too.
So, let’s get into this discussion and check out all these ways you can prolong your snus and nicotine pouch products, but first how to read the dates on the bottom of the can. As that can be a confusing thing, it seems like the best place to start!
A common question I get asked is how to read the dates on the bottom of the can. Here’s what these three products say:
Top: Knox Limited Edition Green
B.F: 27-02-2024
P.D: 12-09-2023
Middle: General XRANGE White Portion Snus
TILLV. / BÄST FÖRE:
23Oct2023 / 1Mar2024
Bottom: Kapten Mint
TILLV: 25-10-2023
BÄST FÖRE: 24-04-2024
When you read dates, remember that: DAY-MONTH-YEAR. Very important!
Next is the “lingo”. You will usually see B.F. or “Bäst Före” on a can. This is the expiration date. I don’t like to consider it an expiration date, I just consider that the “best buy” date. You can use a product after this date if it is stored properly, and I”ll touch on that later. Next, you’ll often see P.D. or TILLV on cans. This is the date the snus was produced. As you can see from the cans above, the duration between these is anywhere from 6 to 7 months. However some manufacturers will have a year of life from the date the snus was produced to the date the snus expires. It really just depends on the company. A lot of nicotine pouches have a 1 year shelf life, as well.
So that explains a little about how to read the dates. But it doesn’t explain how long snus actually lasts. This is just the manufacturers guidelines. But, as a consumer, and a price conscious one at that, let’s discuss how long snus actually lasts.
Refrigeration and Freezing
I operate on the following rule:
1. If I will use it by the expiration or “bäst före” date, I will simply refrigerate my snus. I have one of these chillers I bought in the past that I use for my snus.
2. If I won’t use it by the date, I will freeze it. If I’ll use it within a year, I simply put it in a freezer bag. If I won’t use it within a year, I’ll vacuum seal it for long term storage.
3. Once I open a can, I generally will use the can. If you take it in and out of cold storage, and open and close the can often, it will affect the quality of the product.
If you're asking how long you can store snus for, well that varies based on the person. I just went and checked in my chest freezer, and the oldest can I have is one from 2017. So, that is 6 years old. I opened it, and have been using it throughout the day and it tastes great. It was vacuum sealed, which helps lock in a lot of that. Ask my buddy Nash, and he’ll tell you he has snus from 10-15 years ago in his freezer that he will still use. This is one of those areas where it really depends on the person. However, the ultimate truth is this: if you properly freeze snus, you can use it for a long period of time.
Why does this matter? Well, snus is something we spend money on. If something pops up on sale, you may not need it at the moment. But, you can’t pass up on a good deal. So, buy it, freeze it, and use it later. So that if it’s expired, you're still able to use it down the road. Or, limited editions. Sometimes these pop up and then disappear. If it’s a flavor you like, you may want to save some for later on. Buy a bunch, vacuum seal it, and use it down the road. Freezing is really a great way to extend your snus usage, and to stock up on products as well as save limited edition products for future use! I will frequently do this with limited edition Swedish Match products. I have a separate bag in my freezer where I put a can or two of limited editions as they come out, but I’m a collector so that’s a big part of that.
*NOTE: These figures, facts, and information also apply to nicotine pouches. They can be stored and used the same way as snus.
The Bottom Line
I know the dates can be a bit confusing, but hopefully we clarified that one a little better. I’ve seen so many folks online post about getting expired orders then it’s like, oh, whoops, read the date wrong. So that’s one major topic that comes up and I’m glad I was able to sit down today and talk about that one. Storage, refrigeration, and lifespan of snus and nicotine pouches is a major topic as well, so hopefully I helped clarify that one. If you order here from SnusExpress.com, you’ll always get fresh snus on your order. But if you ever find yourself getting cans that have a month left on them or anything like that, it’s no cause for alarm. As I mentioned above, today I’m enjoying a 7 year old can of snus, so the expiration dates really don’t matter much if you properly store your snus. Just remember my three keys. First, if you will use it by the expiration date, refrigerate it when you order arrives. Second, if you won’t use it by the refrigeration date, freeze it. And lastly, once you open a can, try to use it instead of putting it in and out of refrigeration. If you get a product on an order you don’t like, you can put it in the freezer to revisit later, but generally it’s not good to pull it in and out of cold storage, as this can have an effect on the quality. It’s not going to destroy it or make it horrible, but you’ll notice some issues with the moisture levels. But remember, a great way to save money is to always try to buy products that are on sale. Even if you don’t need an order, buy it and freeze it for later!
