Antitrust Investigation Targets Philip Morris Italia Over Marketing Practices

Rome: Italy’s Antitrust Authority has initiated an investigation into Philip Morris Italia, the Italian subsidiary of the tobacco conglomerate, over allegations of unfair trading practices concerning the promotion of its products with terms like “smoke-free.”

According to Ansa News Agency, the authority expressed concerns that such terms might mislead consumers by implying that these products are not harmful. Despite these products not involving combustion, they may still pose health risks and are not less harmful than other tobacco products. The authority also highlighted the potential for addiction associated with these products.

The Antitrust Authority, in collaboration with the finance police, conducted an inspection at the premises of Philip Morris Italia S.p.A. and Philip Morris Manufacturing and Technology Bologna S.p.A. as part of the investigation. The probe aims to scrutinize whether the marketing language used by the company aligns with consumer protection standards in Italy.