Overview

• The Italian Antitrust Authority opened a formal investigation into possible unfair commercial practices tied to Philip Morris Italia’s use of phrases such as “senza fumo” and “un futuro senza fumo.”
• Authority officials, supported by the Guardia di Finanza’s Nucleo Speciale Antitrust, conducted on‑site inspections at Philip Morris Italia and at the Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology facility in Bologna.
• Regulators state that non‑combustion tobacco products are not free of potential harm, are not necessarily less harmful than others, and can create dependence.
• Philip Morris says its messaging is factual and compliant with Italian and EU rules that associate the absence of smoke with the absence of combustion, and the company pledged to cooperate.
• Consumer group Unione Nazionale Consumatori welcomed the inquiry and called for clear adult‑only labeling and explicit risk warnings, with the proceeding still ongoing and no decision announced.