Philip Morris Italia Investigated Over “Smokefree” Advertising
Italy’s competition authority has launched an investigation into Philip Morris Italia over allegedly misleading smokefree vaping device advertising. Announced today, October 15, the probe focuses on the company’s use of terms such as smokefree future and
Italy’s competition authority has launched an investigation into Philip Morris Italia over allegedly misleading “smokefree” vape advertising. Announced today (October 15), the probe focuses on the company’s use of phrases such as “smokefree future” and “smokefree products,” which regulators say may mislead consumers into believing the products are harmless.
As part of the investigation, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), accompanied by the financial police, searched two Philip Morris offices in Italy. The regulator said that although these products do not involve combustion, they may still pose health risks and lead to addiction.
“Philip Morris Italia believes that its conduct has always been fully compliant with applicable regulations,” a Philip Morris spokesperson said regarding the proceedings initiated by the AGCM. “The company is confident that its communications are truthful, reliable, and fully consistent with Italian and European laws and regulations, which associate smokefree with the absence of combustion. Article 2, paragraph 5 of Italian Legislative Decree No. 6/2016 (which transposed EU Directive 2014/40/EU) defines ‘smokeless tobacco products’ (described in the English version of the directive as ‘smokeless tobacco products’) as ‘tobacco products that do not involve a combustion process.’”
“For nearly a decade, pursuing a smokefree future has been Philip Morris International’s main global objective, and the Italian subsidiary has been committed to achieving this goal for years while also building an integrated ‘Made in Italy’ value chain involving 44,000 employees.
“The company will continue to cooperate with the authority throughout the proceedings to demonstrate the full legality of its conduct.”
Earlier this year, France took similar action, fining Philip Morris €500,000 for promoting its IQOS heated tobacco device as safer under a harm reduction classification.
