Conference program highlights harm reduction and consumer trends.

As health awareness continues to grow among many consumers, demand for reduced-risk alternatives to traditional tobacco products is also increasing. On April 17 and 18, EVO NXT in Prague will bring together international players from the NGP industry to actively accompany the development of this dynamic market. Harm reduction and consumer behavior are among the key topics in the conference program of the international trade fair. Panels, keynotes, and masterclasses will provide space for intensive knowledge exchange and strategic insights. A new social media series will introduce selected speakers in advance.

Dortmund, 18 March 2026 – The English-language conference program of the trade fair will dedicate numerous sessions to the topic of tobacco harm reduction as well as changing consumer preferences. The program is available on the website here.

Right at the start, the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN) will highlight the current state of research on harm reduction on 17 April at 10:30 a.m. in the Industry Lounge. In the session “Tobacco Harm Reduction: Latest Science & Public Health,” speakers including Dr. Sydney Hiller, Head of US Regulatory Affairs at Inter Scientific, and health psychologist Sairah Salim-Sartoni will discuss scientific findings on the role of next-generation products in harm reduction as well as risk communication strategies.

At 11:20 a.m. on the Main Stage, Martin Černý, who is responsible for regulatory affairs related to next-generation nicotine products at BAT Czechia, will follow with the topic “Harm Reduction in Practice: Why Czechia Sets the Benchmark for Regulating New Nicotine Products.” Among other measures, Czechia was one of the first EU countries to introduce regulation for nicotine pouches that sets excise duty according to the product’s risk level.

On 18 April at 12:30 p.m., another session on the Main Stage will revisit the topic. In “Spotlight Tobacco Harm Reduction: Latest Science & Public Health – What the Science Means for Adult Consumers,” Rachael Schmidt, Tobacco Regulatory & Strategy Consultantat ALNIC Consulting, and Joel Rubenstein from GINN will discuss scientific findings and regulatory debates surrounding new nicotine products. The focus will be on where scientific consensus already exists, where uncertainties remain, and and how these insights translate into real-world implications for adult smokers, consumers and policy discussions.

In addition to scientific and regulatory issues, consumer behavior will also take center stage. In the masterclass “Beyond Innovation: Exploring Consumer Behavior Across Emerging Nicotine Pouch Markets,” Jessica Gobbo, COO, and Isacco Pesce, Head of Marketing & Business Development at FamilyBro, will analyze current developments in emerging nicotine pouch markets on 17 April at 12:30 p.m. in the Industry Lounge. Drawing on independent consumer research in Italy, they will examine behavioral habits, perception of risk, the integration within multi-product ecosystems, and the drivers of both adoption and abandonment.

Social media campaign: Get to know the speakers of EVO NXT
On EVO NXT’s social media channels, trade visitors already have the opportunity to get to know some of the conference speakers ahead of the event. Under the motto “Future Voices,” short teaser videos about the trade fair will be published regularly on LinkedIn and Instagram.

FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE
EVO NXT – THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FESTIVAL FOR NEXT GENERATION PRODUCTS EVO NXT will be held in Prague on 17 and 18 April 2026 and is the meeting place for players in the NGP industry. In Czechia, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, researchers and investors, among others, will convene to discuss the current state of the industry and work together to set course for the future. End consumers can get an overview of the latest trends and products from big players in the industry as well as promising newcomers. And they’ll all be doing so in a very special atmosphere, because EVO NXT is an innovative business festival with a unique mix of information and entertainment – making it the perfect forum reflecting and supporting an innovative industry as it seeks to move forward.

DATE: 17 – 18 April 2026
EVENT ORGANISER: Messe Dortmund GmbH
LOCATION: Forum Karlin, Prague
VISITOR TARGET GROUPS: Top international decision-makers from the retail sector (specialist retailers, wholesalers, and retailers), manufacturing, distribution, and the service sector. International industry representatives from the e-cigarette, heat-not-burn, oral and novel nicotine, snus, CBD, and hemp sectors. Admission is restricted to trade visitors and end consumers of legal age.
PARTNERS:
• Confédération Européenne des Détaillants en Tabac (CEDT)
• Nordic Nicotine Pouches Association (NNPA)
• IEVA
• TobaccoIntelligence
• European Cannabis Association (ECA)
• CB Company
• UKVIA
• 2FIRSTS
• ECCC
• Svenska Snustillverkarföreningen
• Global Vape Alliance (GVA)
• Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN)
• Tobacco Europe
• Euromonitor
• FuturNic