Key facts
- Italy's competition authority fined Philip Morris Italia €7 million.
- The fine addresses marketing claims for non-combustion tobacco products like heated tobacco and e-vapor devices.
- The authority stated claims such as 'smoke-free' are misleading regarding product health impacts.
- Philip Morris Italia plans to appeal the decision, asserting compliance with Italian and EU law.
Italy's competition authority has imposed a €7 million fine on Philip Morris Italia for allegedly misleading marketing practices related to its non-combustion tobacco products. The regulator stated that expressions such as 'smoke-free' and 'building a smoke-free future' mislead consumers, including minors, into believing these products are harmless or less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
The authority's investigation, prompted by a complaint from the Ministry of Health, found that current scientific knowledge does not support claims of reduced harm due to the presence of nicotine. The probe was initiated in October 2025.