In major breaking news, Philip Morris International’s (PMI) new smoke-free product device IQOS Iluma Prime today makes its first-ever retail appearance in Japan airport duty free stores.
The company has billed IQOS Iluma Prime as the latest and most innovative addition to a growing portfolio of smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use nicotine products.
The announcement follows the initial market launch of sister product IQOS Iluma and the IQOS Iluma Prime in the Japanese domestic market on 17 August.
The new IQOS Iluma is the brand’s first tobacco-heating system to introduce induction-heating technology, which requires no blade and no cleaning.
PMI Vice President Duty Free Edvinas Katilius said: “The launch of the IQOS Iluma Prime, our most refined and advanced device yet, in Japan Duty Free further demonstrates our constant commitment to delight our legal age consumers in travel retail with our most premium and stylish product range.
“We have extended our product offering in Japan duty free with IQOS Iluma Prime – available in a choice of four new colours and with our largest ever range of accessories.”
PMI CEO Jacek Olczak said: “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.
“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.
“This commitment to continuous innovation plays a significant role in our ambition to deliver a smoke-free future. The launch of IQOS Illuma, 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.”
The heating technology in the IQOS Iluma devices is the Smartcore Induction System, which heats the tobacco from within the new Terea Smartcore Stick. PMI said these newly-designed sticks are to be used only with IQOS Iluma, which features an auto-start function that detects when the Terea stick is inserted and automatically turns on the device.
The brand owner explained that these new bladeless devices offer a cleaner way to heat tobacco from the core, without burning it, to provide a more consistent experience, no tobacco residue, and no need to clean the device.
Additionally, they generate no combustion and no smoke, and PMI’s market research indicates that IQOS Iluma provides a more pleasurable experience compared to previous IQOS generations.
PMI Vice President Heated Tobacco Platforms Michele Cattoni explained: “IQOS Iluma is our most innovative offering to date and the new flagship in our portfolio of science-backed, smoke-free products.
“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.
“However, unlike our previous tobacco-heating systems, IQOS Iluma has no blade. That means no tobacco residue or cleaning – ever. With this, and other product features, we aim to address consumer pain points that may have hindered some adult smokers from beginning or maintaining their journey away from cigarettes in the past.”
PMI’s smoke-free products are are now available in 67 markets. The company has stated its ambition to be present in 100 markets with its smoke-free products by 2025.
There are more than 20 million users of the IQOS tobacco heating system globally, and PMI estimates that more than 73% (approximately 14.7 million) of these men and women have switched completely to IQOS and stopped smoking with the balance in various stages of switching.
PMI’s ambition is that by 2025 at least 40 million PMI cigarette smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke will have switched to smoke-free products.
Furthermore, the company’s ambition is that more than half of its net revenues will come from smoke-free products by 2025.
Note: PMI is exhibiting for the second successive year as a Platinum Partner at the Virtual Travel Retail Expo (11-15 October), where it will be showcasing its commitment to smoke-free products and championing its latest innovations.
