The tobacco giant has introduced a new addition to its IQOS line to the heated tobacco segment in Japan.
LAUSANNE — Philip Morris International (PMI), one of the largest tobacco companies in the world, announced on August 17 that the company has introduced the IQOS Iluma system to the ever-popular heated tobacco market in Japan.
“Our objective is a world without cigarettes; a world where cigarettes are replaced by smoke-free alternatives that are a better choice than continued smoking,” said Jacek Olczak, the chief executive officer of PMI, in a press statement.
“We have launched several generations of our IQOS heated tobacco system; expanding our portfolio to offer constantly improved, science-backed solutions that take advantage of advancements in technology and address pain points heard from consumers.”
“The launch of IQOS Iluma, our most innovative device yet, gives adult smokers another better choice and represents an important leap forward in our efforts to accelerate the end of smoking,” he added. The company said that it is offering two new devices to Japan: IQOS Iluma Prime and IQOS Iluma. According to Philip Morris, both devices use a new and improved induction technology but through different design experiences that “allow adult users to select the device that best suits their needs and preferences.”
“IQOS Iluma is our most innovative offering to-date and the new flagship in our portfolio of science-backed, smoke-free products,” said Michele Cattoni, the PMI vice president for heated tobacco platforms, in the same press release as Olczak’s statements.
“Its breakthrough induction-heating technology heats tobacco from within, without burning, so there’s no smoke, no ash and, like previous IQOS devices, it emits, on average, 95% lower levels of harmful chemicals compared with cigarettes,” said Cattoni.
Grand View Research, a market intelligence firm based in California, indicates that one of the largest markets for heated tobacco products such as the IQOS system is Japan.
“Asia Pacific held the largest heated tobacco products (HTPs) market share of about 73% 2018,” notes an analysis by Grand View. “It is driven by rise in consumption of iQOS brand heated tobacco products in countries such as Japan and Korea. However, stern regulations regarding the use of e-cigarettes may hinder the regional growth.
PMI introduced IQOS to smoke-free consumers in the United States through the help of Altria Group. The growth potential in the United States is high. However, Japan and South Korea dominate the heated tobacco spaces with the product category holding larger market shares compared to several categories of electronic cigarettes and oral products.
