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  • BAT and McLaren Collaborate on Limited Edition Glo

    BAT and McLaren Collaborate on Limited Edition Glo

    British American Tobacco Japan announced that it has teamed up with McLaren Racing to launch the “glo Hilo Plus McLaren Racing-inspired limited edition set,” available from March 3 at glo Store Ginza and glo’s online store.

    This premium collection features a limited-edition glo Hilo Plus device with McLaren’s signature papaya colors inside the device and on the charging case slide, along with exclusive glo and McLaren logos. The charging case also offers a rubberized grip for stability and a brushed metal finish that reflects motorsports engineering aesthetics.

    The set includes a special Alcantara sleeve, a limited-design charging dock, and a warranty card confirming its limited-edition status, all packaged in a dedicated box. It is priced at 30,000 yen ($189).

  • BAT Reaffirms FY26 Guidance at Low End of Target

    BAT Reaffirms FY26 Guidance at Low End of Target

    British American Tobacco reaffirmed its full-year 2026 guidance with its presentation at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference today (Feb. 18), signaling results will land at the lower end of its previously issued targets. BAT CEO Tadeu Marroco and Reynolds American President David Waterfieldhe said the group expects constant-currency revenue growth of 3–5%, adjusted profit from operations growth of 4–6% (adjusted for Canada and weighted toward the second half) and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 5–8%. BAT said its smokeless portfolio — including Vuse, glo and Velo — reached more than 31 million adult consumers globally by the end of 2025, contributing 18.2% of its £25.6 billion annual revenue. The company is targeting 50 million smokeless consumers by 2030 and aims for these products to generate half of group revenue by 2035, as it continues its transition toward reduced-risk categories.

    “We are committed to actively encouraging adult smokers, who would otherwise choose to continue to smoke, to make a full switch to smokeless alternatives,” Marroco said. “Regulation is not homogeneous globally. This affects not only which products are legally available for consumers, but also communication freedoms and excise levels.

    “BAT has taken a consumer-led, multi-category approach from the outset.  While initially more complex and costly to execute, it has proven to be the right strategy. Together with leveraging our brand building expertise, and global distribution reach, this enables us to maximize our opportunity – to switch smokers who would otherwise choose to continue to smoke, drive harm reduction, and create value.”

  • BAT Launches Year-End Vape Promotion in Korea

    BAT Launches Year-End Vape Promotion in Korea

    Today (November 12), BAT Rothmans announced a promotion for its Glo Hyper series in South Korea, running both online and in-store through the end of the year. First-time buyers can purchase devices from the Glo Hyper Series, including the flagship Glo Hyper Pro, at special discounted prices. “The Hyper Pro features an EasyView screen and TasteSelect Dial for personalized heating control, while all neo sticks use StickSeal technology to prevent tobacco leaf residue.”

    A BAT Rothmans spokesperson said the year-end promotion aims to let more consumers experience the brand’s “innovative technology and differentiated experience at a reasonable price,” at the time of the year when colder weather drives people indoors. The company said surveys show odor reduction is a leading reason for smokers switching to vapes.  

    Government data shows e-cigarette sales in South Korea rose 8.3% year-on-year, capturing 18.4% of the total tobacco market in 2024—up from just 2.2% in 2017.

  • BAT Italia Unveils glo Hilo, a ‘New Era in Heated Tobacco’

    BAT Italia Unveils glo Hilo, a ‘New Era in Heated Tobacco’

    BAT Italia introduced glo Hilo, its latest tobacco heating device, “marking a technological leap in the heated tobacco sector.” Italy is among the first countries globally to roll out this new ecosystem, featuring sticks entirely made in Italy.

    Speaking at the event, Fabio de Petris, CEO of BAT Italia, highlighted the company’s growth and investment plans in Italy. He said that Italy represents a key market for new product categories, with one in three consumers using next-generation tobacco products, and outlined BAT’s €500 million five-year investment plan in its Trieste production hub. The facility, which now serves 14 countries, has expanded with 16 additional production lines for heated tobacco, driving new hires and reinforcing Italy’s strategic role in BAT’s global innovation strategy.

  • BAT Rothmans Launches Improved E-Cigarette Sticks in Korea

    BAT Rothmans Launches Improved E-Cigarette Sticks in Korea

    BAT Rothmans, South Korea’s third-largest tobacco company, today (September 2) unveiled new tobacco sticks for its Glo Hyper e-cigarette devices, featuring “StickSeal” technology to prevent tobacco residue from falling inside the device. The company said all 10 Neo stick types now include the innovation, and that packaging has been updated to promote cleanliness and convenience for users.

    BAT Rothmans said it aims to expand its e-cigarette market share with the upgrade. The company’s Glo Hyper Pro devices previously won the European Product Design Award 2024 and the iF Design Award for design and usability. BAT Group distributes to 175 countries and targets 50 million global e-cigarette users by 2030 as part of its carbon-neutral strategy.

  • BAT Launches New Heated Device in Japan

    BAT Launches New Heated Device in Japan

    Today (June 9), BAT launched the glo Hilo in Japan, what it calls the first and only heated product (HP) featuring Turbostart technology that heats sticks in just five seconds. The device uses a quartz heating element that uses both resistive heating and infrared waves.

    “glo Hilo is a breakthrough system that will reshape the way glo is positioned in the HP category, allowing it to compete effectively in the premium segment,” BAT said in its press release. “To support glo Hilo, BAT is also launching the new ‘Myglo’ app which enables consumers to stay in control of their device usage, personalize the display, find their device if it’s been misplaced, or lock it.”

    BAT also announced that virto, a new consumable, has also been launched to support the glo Hilo system. virto consists of blended tobacco delivered through a uniquely engineered structure for precision heat transfer to every part of the stick, achieving consistent airflow.

    “We are very excited to introduce glo Hilo in Japan, and it’s even more meaningful to be bringing back glo to its birthplace—nine years since its world-first launch in Sendai in 2016.”

    The new products will be available for purchase at major convenience stores in Sendai City and on the official glo online store. The glo range is sold in over 30 markets around the world.

  • Italy: BAT Fined Over Heated-Tobacco Ads

    Italy: BAT Fined Over Heated-Tobacco Ads

    Photo: BAT

    BAT’s Italian division has been fined €6 million ($6.4 million) for “misleading advertising of a heated-tobacco product,” according to Barron’s. Amazon was fined €1 million for the same reason.

    According to the AGCM watchdog, BAT and Amazon advertised the Glo Hyper X2 and Glo Hyper Air devices without making “information about the tobacco/nicotine consumption connected to the use of these devices and the prohibition of their sale to minors” clear.

    The products were marketed “as simple electronic devices and mere design objects,” the watchdog said.

    “This is seriously misleading conduct, which induces the customer to buy a product that poses health risks and is banned for minors,” the authority said.

    An investigation into the marketing of the heated-tobacco products began in April 2023.

    BAT plans to appeal the fine, according to Bloomberg.  

    “We are clear that our products are for adults only, and we adhere to the highest standards of conduct to prevent underage use of any nicotine product,” a BAT Italia spokesperson said. “We cooperated with Italian authorities and implemented all suggested changes to our marketing immediately. While we acknowledge the decision, we plan to appeal.”

  • Glo Hyper Pro Launched

    Glo Hyper Pro Launched

    Image: BAT

    BAT has launched a new version of its Glo heating device. Glo is an alternative to smoking that doesn’t involve burning, producing fewer and lower levels of toxicants than conventional cigarettes.

    The Glo Hyper Pro device is lightweight, fits easily in consumers’ pockets and comes with improvements in performance, according to the company. With this new device, one charge takes approximately 90 minutes and lasts all day. Once charged, consumers can expect to use the device for 20 sessions in total.

    “We’re proud that today, over 8.8 million adult consumers now use Glo,” said Kingsley Wheaton, chief strategy and growth officer at BAT, in a statement. “This latest version is our most advanced yet, with a much improved user experience. We continue to listen to consumers and enhance our products so that they find Glo a satisfying alternative to continuing to smoke. Ultimately, BAT aims to support smokers to switch to these reduced-risk products in order to deliver benefits for consumers, society and our stakeholders.”

    The wider Glo range is sold in over 20 markets around the world. The Glo Hyper Pro device has been launched in Japan, Italy and Poland, with further global market rollouts planned during 2024.

  • Court Rejects Challenge to PMI Heating Patents

    Court Rejects Challenge to PMI Heating Patents

    Image: nimalGraphic

    The High Court of Justice in London ruled April 17 that Philip Morris Products’ (PMP) patents protecting a tobacco-heating technology are valid, reports Law360. The ruling represents a defeat for BAT and its Nicoventures subsidiary, which had sought to revoke PMP’s patents.

    While considering the patent valid, the court also said that BAT’s Glo heated-tobacco products did not infringe the patents, heading off an infringement counterclaim filed by PMP.

    The April 17 ruling is the latest chapter in an ongoing intellectual property dispute between the tobacco giants.

    PMP initially sued BAT and Nicoventures, claiming they infringed several of its tobacco-heating technology patents. This prompted BAT and Nicoventures to file counterclaims seeking to invalidate the patents.

    The proceedings have now branched off into several different actions before the High Court.

    In the current case, Nicoventures argued, among other things, that the PMP technology was obvious in light of a 1998 patent application referred to as “Pienemann,” which covers a “system for providing an inhalable aerosol.”

    While Pienemann, like PMP’s technology, has multiple heating elements, Judge Michael Tappin said that a skilled team would consider the multiple heaters to “mimic” one heater. Pienemann also did not specify the inclusion of a thin-film heater as seen in the PMP patent, instead describing a “graphite loaded sheath,” according to the judgment.

    Regarding the infringement claim, Tappin said that BAT’s Glo products did not infringe the patents because they did not include a method of allowing different parts of the heating system to be heated at different times.

  • Glo Hyper Under Scrutiny

    Glo Hyper Under Scrutiny

    Photo: BAT

    Italian regulators are investigating BAT and Amazon for potentially misleading advertising for the Glo Hyper X2 tobacco-heating product, reports Reuters.

    According to the Italian Competition Authority, the companies have made it insufficiently clear to consumers that Glo Hyper X2 is a nicotine-based product and that it is intended for an adult audience. The agency also said it had seen the product being marketed as “nicotine-free.”

    “The omission and/or deceptiveness of this essential information” in advertising could influence consumers’ decisions and expose them, “minors in particular,” to the risk of unknowingly damaging their health, the Competition Authority said.

    A spokesperson for BAT said the company was committed to responsible marketing in addition to the requirements set by local applicable laws.

    “We are available to cooperate with the Italian Competition Authority to ensure a swift conclusion of these proceedings,” the spokesperson added.