IQOS Launches in London, One Step Closer to a Smoke-Free Future
PMI has launched IQOS in London, bringing its heated tobacco device closer to more adult smokers as part of its long-term vision for a smoke-free future.
This week, Philip Morris International (PMI) launched its heated tobacco device iQOS in London. The tobacco giant first introduced iQOS in Japan in 2014, believing that tobacco companies need to develop alternatives to conventional cigarettes.
“We will definitely see a future in which Philip Morris no longer sells cigarettes on the market,” said Martin Inkster, PMI’s General Manager for the UK and Ireland. He added that this could take many years, and that companies will need support from governments and regulators during the transition away from smoking.
The new iQOS is currently available only in central London, priced at £45. HEETS tobacco sticks, available in Amber, Yellow, and Turquoise, are sold separately at £8 per pack of 20. The company plans to roll out the product nationwide in 2017.
iQOS has already launched in more than a dozen countries, including Japan, Switzerland, and Italy. PMI said it plans to expand sales to 20 markets by the end of this year, rising to 35 markets by the end of 2017.
According to an ECigIntelligence market report, heat-not-burn products (HNB) are emerging rapidly in the market. In the near future, there will be more innovation in product design, and sales are also expected to increase.
Regulatory Status
According to the latest data from ECigIntelligence, there are 4,495 retail outlets in Japan selling HNB products, most of which carry HEETS tobacco sticks.
Although iQOS sales are expanding, the regulatory status of HNB products in Europe remains unclear. As a result, the industry is closely watching how these products will be regulated, especially whether future rules will treat e-cigarettes and HNB products in the same way.
