Market & legal data of alternative tobacco products in Europe

UK court dismisses tit-for-tat claims in long-running PMI/BAT patents feud

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th May 2023

A dismissive ruling by the High Court in London is just the latest in a series of ongoing legal battles between PMI and BAT over the patents for their rival heated-tobacco systems Iqos and Glo...

Sweden and alternatives show the way to cut down on smoking, says Italian MEP

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th May 2023

The best way to reduce smoking rates is by encouraging smokers to switch to new, reduced-risk categories, according to Italian MEP Aldo Patriciello, who recommends the Swedish approach ...

Big Tobacco ‘moving too slowly’ to fulfil the FSFW’s mission of ending smoking

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th May 2023

Tobacco companies are not doing enough to transition to reduced risk products and are not phasing out conventional cigarettes quickly enough, according to the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) ...

New restrictions to tobacco law as Norway gears up to implement TPD

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 5th May 2023

An increasing age limit to prevent future generations from accessing tobacco products and a ban on flavours are two of the most important elements of new regulations being considered in Norway ...

Minimum pricing ahead as Russia places new restrictions on heated tobacco sales

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 2nd May 2023

Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill tightening regulation of alternative tobacco products, intended particularly to curb under-age demand – even though sales to under-18s were already prohibited ...

EU’s revised tobacco rules ‘should make allowances for safer alternatives’ – MEP

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 1st May 2023

While most European Parliament members (MEPs) are likely to take a conservative approach to the revision of tobacco regulations, some are more open to acknowledging a positive role for alternatives to smoking ...

Decision upheld against PMI accused of underhanded advertising in Lithuania

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 28th April 2023

Philip Morris International has failed to overturn a decision by Lithuanian authorities that advertising for Iqos devices constitutes tobacco advertising ...

PMI reports good numbers, positive momentum of Iqos and Zyn in the US

Written by Freddie Dawson | 28th April 2023

Philip Morris International will focus on heated tobacco and nicotine pouches as the alternatives that can help it meet its goal of becoming a majority smoke-free revenue company by 2025 ...

Likely tougher rules on alternatives will hinder anti-smoking efforts, says MEP

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 25th April 2023

Czech MEP Radka Maxová says it is impossible to predict the final outcome of the EU debate on revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), but “the trend in EU legislation is clear: abolitionism” ...

Heated tobacco and modern oral flavours make up for Imperial’s US vaping blow

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 19th April 2023

Expanding sales of next generation products into new markets has more than compensated Imperial Brands for the enforced loss of its Myblu e-cigarette from the US market ...

Belgian ban: nicotine and cannabinoid pouch sales to be illegal this year

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th April 2023

The sale of nicotine pouches in Belgium has been banned, effective later this year, on the grounds they pose a danger to public health, particularly due to their potential for addiction ...

Big Tobacco appears to be in no hurry to pull out of Russia over Ukraine invasion

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 12th April 2023

Global tobacco majors are not hurrying to leave the Russian market and suffer the multi-billion dollar losses that might potentially be associated with such an exodus ...

Cigarettes for €0.10 a pack? Italian shops hit by vending-machine hack attack

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th April 2023

Italian tobacco associations estimate up to €250,000 in losses after hundreds of tobacco vending machines were the subject of a cyber-attack thought to be the work of anarchists ...

Models in ads for heated tobacco must both look and be over 25, UK ASA rules

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd March 2023

Companies dealing in tobacco products must be extremely careful with all age-related details when it comes to website illustrations and endorsements, a new UK ruling demonstrates ...

UK tax increases raise prices of tobacco, including heat-not-burn consumables

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 21st March 2023

UK consumers are facing a considerable hike in the price of all tobacco products following the Spring Budget outlined last week by chancellor (finance minister) Jeremy Hunt ...

Single regulatory agency to oversee nicotine and tobacco industries in Russia

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 9th March 2023

The Russian Ministry of Finance announced in February that it would submit a bill to the parliament this month to establish a single regulator for the alcohol, tobacco and nicotine industries ...

Finnish working group recommends tougher rules for all nicotine products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 8th March 2023

Continuing tax increases, raising the age limit to 20, restrictions on imports, and further extensions of smoke-free environments are among ideas being considered in Finland for all tobacco-related products ...

Europe taking on novel products as it aims for a ‘tobacco-free environment’

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th March 2023

A European Council recommendation due in the autumn will be “a recommendation for a tobacco-free environment, regardless of the form tobacco takes” ...

More challenges to EU heated tobacco flavour ban during wait for CJEU verdict

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 3rd March 2023

Tobacco companies wait for a judicial verdict on the validity of an EU directive outlawing heated tobacco flavours across Europe, but the ban has already come into effect ...

Big Tobacco remains in love with novelty as it heads towards a smokeless future

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 3rd March 2023

The significance Big Tobacco companies are placing on novel tobacco products is demonstrated by the continued international expansion many are undertaking ...

EU lawmakers becoming less aware and less confident on novel nicotine products

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 2nd March 2023

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are less aware of key issues surrounding new nicotine products than in previous years and often less confident in their views, according to new research ...

Iqos accused as French campaign group calls for clampdown on ads and flavours

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 15th February 2023

A French anti-smoking group has called for a ban on non-tobacco flavours in all nicotine products as well as for the regulation of nicotine pouch advertising, while accusing PMI of flouting advertising rules ...

Proposed new EU packaging and waste rules evoke strong but mixed response

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 15th February 2023

The European Commission has issued a proposal for a revision of EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste, which could have profound long-term consequences for the tobacco alternatives industry ...

‘More to come’ from non-combustibles – JTI has money to heat-not-burn

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 14th February 2023

A growing share of the Japanese heated tobacco market and the launch of the Ploom X heat-not-burn (HnB) device in the UK contributed to Japan Tobacco International (JTI) posting positive figures for 2022 ...

PMI reports positive 2022 performance, talks Iqos, Swedish Match and KT&G

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th February 2023

Philip Morris International (PMI) reports an overall positive performance in 2022, boosted by growth in its Iqos business, with revenues and shipment volumes slightly up for the year ...

BAT delivers another Glo-ing report, with growth across all its novel categories

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 9th February 2023

British American Tobacco (BAT) enjoyed a 37% rise last year in revenues from novel products, with growing contributions across all three of its new categories, led by its brands Vuse, Velo and Glo Hyper ...

Finland to approve heated tobacco flavour ban, other EU countries to follow

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th February 2023

Finland is among the first EU countries to take concrete steps towards banning flavours for heated tobacco products. The Finnish parliament has approved the government’s proposal to add to the Finnish Tobacco Act the definition of heated tobacco...

Lawmakers in the Czech Republic look to regulate nicotine pouches in two acts

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 25th January 2023

The Czech Republic could extend regulations of tobacco products and e-cigarettes to nicotine pouches, put age restrictions on the sale of pouches, and regulate their composition, labelling, notification and other requirements ...

Ukrainian regulator takes legal action to investigate PMI’s advertising of Iqos

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 20th January 2023

The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine has taken a case against Philip Morris Sales and Distribution for violating unfair competition laws, the regulator announced earlier this month ...

Roman court to settle battle over JTI's claim low-level menthol isn't a flavour

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th January 2023

An upcoming court ruling in Rome could help to determine whether a European Commission directive prohibiting the addition of a “characterising flavour” to conventional cigarettes is sufficiently clear ...

A good year for Big Tobacco, alternatively speaking, while rules are tightened

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 30th December 2022

The year gone by saw phenomenal growth across the global market for tobacco alternatives, including in the oral segment, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches ...

Other tobacco giants may follow where PMI leads into the Baltic states

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 23rd December 2022

Global tobacco companies could be looking to the Baltic states, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, for expansion after having had to cut operations in Ukraine and Russia ...

Doubts galore as Russia reconsiders all its tax options for tobacco alternatives

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 21st December 2022

In its latest move to regulate the market for tobacco alternatives, the Russian government is proposing to increase excise rates on heated tobacco sticks – but there are competing proposals ...

BAT reports ‘sustainable growth’, over 3m new consumers in non-combustibles

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 19th December 2022

British American Tobacco (BAT) said its “new category” business continues to drive substantial volume, revenue, and market share growth – significantly contributing to the company’s overall performance ...

Italy’s new government reduces planned increases in heated tobacco taxation

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 8th December 2022

Excise duties on cigarettes in Italy will increase from 1st January, while those on heated tobacco and e-liquids will not rise at the rate previously laid out, under the new Italian government’s 2023 Budget Bill...

PMI ready to take Swedish Match off the stock market after completing purchase

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 30th November 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) now owns 93.11% of shares in Swedish Match, meaning it can now begin the process of taking the company off the stock market and making it a wholly-owned PMI subsidiary ...

How heated tobacco taxes are set to rise as European nations set new parameters

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 29th November 2022

Taxes on tobacco are set to rise across Europe and may be extended to alternative products, including heated tobacco. TobaccoIntelligence analysts consider how this will apply in various different EU member states ...

PMI looks set for complete control over Swedish Match despite missed target

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 16th November 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI)’s decision to go ahead with the purchase of all offered Swedish Match shares, despite falling short of its 90% target, means it may run the business as if it owned all...

Further European launches follow Pulze success in Greece and Czech Republic

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 15th November 2022

Tobacco giant Imperial Brands has told investors that its heated tobacco device Pulze and iD consumables, continued to perform well in its pilot markets of the Czech Republic and Greece,...

Sweden's shift to the right could be good news for tobacco alternatives industry

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 15th November 2022

Sweden’s general election in September was potentially a win for the alternative tobacco products industry, with the new right-wing minority government likely to take a more lenient stance than its predecessor ...

PMI proceeds with Swedish Match offer despite falling short of take-up target

Written by Freddie Dawson | 8th November 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) has confirmed that it will go ahead and accept all Swedish Match shares that have been tendered to it despite not achieving its 90% minimum stake threshold ...

Pouch users ‘at risk of taking in more nicotine than smokers’ – German study

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 8th November 2022

Using nicotine pouches can lead to higher nicotine intake than smoking, according to Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) ...

Big Tobacco companies on the road to leaving Russian domestic market

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 7th November 2022

Tobacco producers from around the globe plan to complete their exit from the Russian market by the end of the year by transferring business to local partners, according to recent statements made by company representatives ...

EU Commission reveals its preferences for higher taxes on tobacco products

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 3rd November 2022

Tobacco taxes will rise across Europe and be extended to novel products, according to a draft of the impact assessment for the new Tobacco Excise Directive which the European Commission is set to present in...

Heated tobacco flavours ban now official, and will apply throughout the EU

Written by Sergi Riudalbas | 3rd November 2022

Flavours in heated tobacco products will be banned throughout the EU after a Delegated Directive was published in the Official Journal, with no objection coming from either the Council of the European Union or the...

Japan Tobacco plans more Ploom X launches abroad after success at home

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 2nd November 2022

Japan Tobacco (JT) has posted positive figures for the first nine months of the year, boosted by continued growth in the reduced-risk product category fuelled by the success of Ploom X in Japan ...

'It will be hotly contested': what to expect from the EU debate over the new TPD

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 1st November 2022

The forthcoming debate in the European Parliament over the review of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) could be very heated, with its outcome anything but certain ...

European Commission approves PMI's planned takeover of Swedish Match

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 1st November 2022

EU antitrust regulators have conditionally approved the takeover of Swedish nicotine pouch specialist Swedish Match by the tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI) for an estimated €16bn ...

Swedish Match enjoys impressive Q3 US growth thanks to smoke-free products

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 31st October 2022

Swedish Match has reported an 18% sales increase in the first nine months of the year, boosted by the smoke-free product segment. The company saw a continued impressive performance in the US market, where Zyn...

PMI reports strong Q3 results, talks smoke-free, Altria and Swedish Match

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 24th October 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) reported strong third quarter results in terms of revenue but saw a number of setbacks in shipment volumes as it looks to meet its goal of becoming a majority smoke-free company...

LATEST ALERTS