In an interview with Kaktus.media, Christos Kiritsis, Vice President for smoke-free products in the South and Southeast Asia, CIS, Middle East, and Africa region, shared insights about the company's decade-long journey in developing alternatives to traditional cigarettes and its future plans for implementing innovative solutions.
- Last year, Philip Morris International celebrated 10 years since the commercial launch of its tobacco heating system. What key milestones would you highlight on this path to a smoke-free future? - The first significant event was 2014, when we introduced the tobacco heating system in the markets of Japan and Italy. However, our investments and research began back in 2009, when we engaged over 400 scientists to develop the product and provide scientific justification for it as a less harmful alternative. Thus, 2014 became a turning point when our systems began to enter the market.
The next significant moment occurred in 2016 when our CEO, André Calantzopoulos, announced our mission to stop selling cigarettes. This statement was an important step for an international tobacco company.
Another milestone was 2020 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized tobacco heating systems as a product with modified risk.
In 2022, we acquired Swedish Match, which allowed us to work with successful oral nicotine products. This expanded our portfolio by adding a successful brand of nicotine pouches in the U.S. and around the world, increasing choices for consumers looking to switch from cigarettes.
All these events contributed to a significant achievement: in 2023, revenue from the tobacco heating system for the first time exceeded sales revenue from cigarettes.
- PMI's smoke-free products already have 41 million users worldwide. What motivates consumers to switch to these alternatives, and what steps is PMI taking to accelerate this process? - Consumers today are seeking safer alternatives to smoking, realizing that it is not the best choice. Smoke-free products, according to scientific research, can significantly reduce harmful substances compared to traditional cigarettes. People are striving for progress and using modern technology to improve their lives.
This applies not only to tobacco heating systems but also to other technologies. We continue to invest in the development of our products, taking user feedback into account and striving to address issues that may arise for those who have not yet switched to smoke-free alternatives.
- Some argue that the appealing design of your smoke-free products may attract non-smokers and minors. How do you respond to this? - There are over a billion smokers in the world. Our main task is to create a product that helps smokers quit regular cigarettes.
We implement robust processes, including internal policies for design and commercialization, to ensure that our products are not appealing to minors and non-smokers.According to our data, the level of interest in these products from non-smokers and minors is virtually zero.
- Which PMI brand currently leads in smoke-free products, and what is behind its success? - It is the tobacco heating system. Its success is based on innovative technology that has changed the way nicotine is delivered, replacing traditional smoking with tobacco heating. We are constantly working on improving our products to provide a better user experience and address real issues.
- What are the company's future plans for developing smoke-free products? - We will continue to innovate and develop existing products to provide consumers with more choices based on availability, taste preferences, and habits. We are firmly committed to our vision of a smoke-free future and aim to offer smokers who are not ready to quit the opportunity to switch to smoke-free products. This is just the beginning of our journey.
We have achieved significant results, but there is still much work ahead. We currently have 41 million users who have switched to smoke-free products, but there are still nearly a billion smokers in the world.
