Market & legal data of the tobacco alternatives sector in Asia

Future of HnB remains unclear as Taiwan debates possible e-cigarette ban

Written by Tao Hong | 26th November 2020

A proposed amendment to Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act could ban e-cigarettes but leave the way open for a large heated tobacco market to develop ...

Indonesia prepares new national standard for tobacco alternatives

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th October 2020

Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry is working towards a new national standard for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which it beleives will benefit the tobacco-alternatives industry ...

UAE launches app to crack down on non-compliant tobacco products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th September 2020

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has created a phone app to help consumers detect non-compliant tobacco products in a bid from Emirati authorities to counter tax evasion and commercial fraud as well as to protect...

PMI opens IQOS stores to an uncertain regulatory future in the Philippines

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 8th September 2020

While the Philippines debates regulations to restrict tobacco alternatives, PMFTC, the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International (PMI), has opened its first four IQOS stores in the Manila area ...

Taiwan leaves the door open to include HnB in its Tobacco Hazards Act

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 31st August 2020

A revised draft amendment to Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act could include regulations for heated tobacco products, TobaccoIntelligence has learned ...

PMI starts roll-out of KT&G heated tobacco products in Russia

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 19th August 2020

KT&G heated tobacco products are available outside South Korea for the first time after Philip Morris International (PMI) began marketing them in Russia ...

Heated tobacco sales slump in South Korea in wake of government campaign

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th August 2020

Sales of heated tobacco in South Korea declined in the first half of 2020, with the government attributing the lower sales to ongoing policy efforts to discourage use of tobacco-alternative products ...

JTI prepares to increase prices of HnB consumables as company revenues drop

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 10th August 2020

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is to increase the price of some of its heated tobacco consumables in Japan from 1st October ...

Philippines proposes new restrictions for HnB online retailers

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 3rd August 2020

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Philippines proposed new restrictions for vaping and heated tobacco products in the revised draft guidelines regulating their manufacture, importation, sale, packaging, advertising, and distribution ...

Japan hits Philip Morris with record $5.1m fine for misleading Iqos ads

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 7th July 2020

The Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency has imposed a fine of JPY552m ($5.1m) on Philip Morris Japan (PMJ) for misleading advertising of Iqos when discounts were extended beyond the allotted date ...

South Korea prepares to crack down on tobacco alternatives advertising

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 2nd July 2020

South Korea’s health minister Park Neung-hoo has announced a fresh plan to ban advertising and promotional activities for tobacco-alternative products ...

Hong Kong will consider tobacco alternatives ban after September

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 29th June 2020

Hong Kong will reintroduce a bill to ban tobacco-alternative products after local elections in September. The Legislative Council ended discussions on the existing bill due to lack of time before its term ends in July...

Philippines FDA lookening to tighten the screw on alternative products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th June 2020

The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears to be tightening its grip on tobacco alternatives with a detailed proposal to regulate heat-not-burn (HnB) and vapour products ...

BAT predicts 7% shrinkage of HnB, pushes back next-gen revenue goal

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 10th June 2020

British American Tobacco (BAT) is pushing back to 2025 its goal of £5bn in revenues from its next-generation portfolio amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a decrease in heat-not-burn (HnB) business ...

Proposed regulation in Taiwan leaves room for interpretation over HnB

Written by Marija Obradovic | 8th June 2020

The Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare has released a draft proposal amending the country’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act which leaves the regulation of heated tobacco still in a state of uncertainty ...

Price war in Japan as JT battles against IQOS dominance of the HnB market

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 3rd June 2020

Japan Tobacco (JT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) are cutting the prices of their heat-not-burn (HnB) devices in Japan and planning new product launches amid the coronavirus pandemic ...

Indian state of Uttar Pradesh partially lifts ban on nicotine-free pan masala

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 26th May 2020

India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, has partially lifted its ban on the oral product pan masala following industry pressure and due to the state government’s need for cash ...

Altria expects a hit from COVID-19, BAT set for heated tobacco decline

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 30th April 2020

Big Tobacco manufacturers are expecting the effects of COVID-19 to hit hard in the second half of the year, despite a strong performance in the first quarter ...

Indonesian president urged to clamp down on tobacco to fight coronavirus

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 27th April 2020

A group of non-profit and health organisations has called on Indonesian president Joko Widodo to take a stricter stance against tobacco products in the battle against COVID-19 ...

India’s most populous state bans oral tobacco mix amid coronavirus fear

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 26th March 2020

The Food Safety and Drug Administration in Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state by population, has temporarily banned pan masala, a traditional oral product popular throughout India, to try to stem the spread of COVID-19 ...

Nicotine events still on the calendar while others fall victim to COVID-19

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 16th March 2020

Organisers of two major conferences and exhibitions on nicotine delivery are hoping the events can still go ahead despite the global coronavirus outbreak and a number of other event cancellations and postponements ...

Duterte hands down new regulations on heated tobacco in the Philippines

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 13th March 2020

Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has issued an executive order placing a range of restrictions on heated tobacco and “other novel tobacco products” ...

BAT reports 273% revenue increase in a year for its modern oral portfolio

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 28th February 2020

British American Tobacco (BAT)'s "modern oral" portfolio has been one of the main drivers helping the company achieve good results in 2019 for its next-generation products category, which overall increased globally by 36.9% ...

PMI is cleared of misleading investors over Japanese prospects for Iqos

Written by Barnaby Page | 17th February 2020

Philip Morris International (PMI) did not deliberately mislead investors about clinical trials for its Iqos heated tobacco system or about the product’s prospects in Japan, a US federal court has ruled ...

South Korea plans further restrictions on promotion of tobacco alternatives

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 4th February 2020

The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare wants to ban practices such as the offering of discounts for heated tobacco products and to make events with free giveaways of such products illegal ...

JT to slash prices of Ploom Tech devices in bid to capture Japanese market

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 29th January 2020

Japan Tobacco (JT) is cutting the price of its Ploom Tech and Ploom Tech+ hybrid devices from 1st February as it continues to lag behind its chief Big Tobacco competitors in its home market ...

BAT launches new HnB in Korea amid government crackdown

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 29th November 2019

British American Tobacco (BAT) has launched its “most advanced” heated tobacco product in South Korea – during a critical political period in which the government has taken a harsh stance towards HnB products ...

JTI lowers its 2019 forecast as Japanese Ploom Tech sales fall

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 31st October 2019

Falling sales of Japan Tobacco’s heated tobacco device Ploom Tech have hit the company’s total revenue from reduced risk products, which fell by JPY7.1bn ($65.7m) to JPY17.8bn ($164.6m) in Q3...

India puts e-cigarette and heated tobacco ban out to public consultation

Written by Marija Obradovic | 26th October 2019

Following the ordinance banning e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, the Indian government is moving forward by drafting a bill which must be approved by parliament reaffirming its...

South Korea cracks down on public smoking, vaping and HnB use

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 25th September 2019

Local authorities across South Korea are carrying out patrols to enforce regulations against smoking, vaping and use of heat-not-burn (HnB) products in a wide range of public...

Big Tobacco job cuts highlight growing pressure on combustibles business

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th September 2019

A wave of workforce cuts by major companies such as British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI) may be just the tip of the iceberg for Big Tobacco ...

Philippines vapour industry faces hike in taxes before they even come in

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 10th September 2019

Barely a month after Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte signed a law setting taxes on heated tobacco and vaping products, the House of Representatives has opted to change the entire tax...

BAT launches hybrid pod in Korea amid rumours of new tax scheme

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th August 2019

British American Tobacco (BAT) has launched Glo Sens in Korea, a new hybrid pod product which combines vaping technology with real tobacco ...

Philippines puts tax on HnB and e-cigs, bans public space use

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 5th August 2019

The Philippines is bent on clamping down on public vaping and imposing a new excise tax on heated tobacco and vapour...

IQOS accounts for 20% of PMI’s net revenues in Q2 2019

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th July 2019

PMI considers almost hitting $1.5bn revenue for its reduced risk portfolio in the second quarter of 2019 a “positive top-line momentum” ...

South Korea responds to Juul and Lil launches with pledge to get tough

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 24th June 2019

The South Korean government is running a campaign to discourage use of tobacco products, in response to recent launches of Juul and a similar device from...

BAT looking forward to substantial growth in next-generation volumes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 13th June 2019

British American Tobacco (BAT) is expecting its next-generation portfolio, including vaping and heated tobacco products, to grow between 30-50% in 2019 ...

Japan remains premier test market for new HnB devices

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 30th May 2019

Japan continues to be the leading test market for heated tobacco products, with two new devices recently launched – including the world’s first device which works with ordinary cigarettes ...

High Court judge puts off Indian ban pending further hearing in May

Written by Marija Obradovic | 19th March 2019

The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to e-cigarette vendors in India, delaying until 17th May the effects of a government circular calling for a nationwide ban on vaping...

Japan sets aside designated HnB and vaping areas in bars and diners

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th March 2019

Japan’s health authorities have issued new ordinances related to smoking areas, including the first designated signs to apply to dedicated areas for the use of heated tobacco...

JT shows two new higher-temp HnB devices for Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 21st January 2019

Japan Tobacco (JT) is launching two new heat-not-burn (HnB) devices in the Japanese market as it tries to catch up with IQOS and Glo in its home territory ...

IQOS versus Glo: PMI takes on BAT in Japanese HnB patent battle

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 3rd December 2018

Philip Morris International (PMI) is suing British American Tobacco (BAT) in Japan for infringement of the patent for IQOS, claiming the rival company has copied the technology for its own Glo device ...

Now Indian government tells customs to seize all e-cig and HnB imports

Written by Marija Obradovic | 27th November 2018

Two weeks after the Delhi High Court decided that an advisory banning e-cigarettes was not binding on India’s states, the national government has issued a new notice calling on customs officers to seize...

IQOS global upgrades announced; dual consumables for Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 24th October 2018

PMI has announced the worldwide launch of two new IQOS devices during a series of events in Japan. The iQOS 3 and iQOS Multi feature quicker charging and longer battery life ...

Good but could be better – 2018 no longer looks quite as rosy for BAT

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 17th October 2018

British American Tobacco (BAT) has lowered its expectations of its heated tobacco and vaping products this year – but still anticipates continuing growth ...

PMI sues Korean government over claim HnB is as harmful as smoking

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 15th October 2018

The South Korean government has declared e-cigarettes and heated tobacco to be no safer than smoking – a statement that has led to legal action by Philip Morris International...

Imperial Brands confirms Pulze for Japan, announces Nixx e-liquid

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 28th September 2018

Imperial Brands has confirmed the launch of its first heated tobacco product, Pulze, in early 2019 in Japan, which is proving a fertile market for heat-not-burn (HnB) ...

Chinese HnB exhibitors make a mark at Korea’s first Vape Expo

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th September 2018

The different cultural and regulatory regimes surrounding vaping and heated tobacco in South Korea were on display at the country’s first vaping show ...

Tax hikes and usage restrictions will impact on HnB in Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th September 2018

Tax on products in Japan’s growing heated tobacco market will go up on 1st October, as part of a staggered series of rises up to 2022, that will bring the levies on them closer to...

India: central government asks states to ban e-cigs and heated tobacco

Written by Marija Obradovic | 28th August 2018

India’s Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare has issued an advisory to all states to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco ...

LATEST ALERTS