Philip Morris Egypt increased prices across its cigarette and heated tobacco portfolios effective Nov. 5, marking its second price adjustment of 2026 following an increase in February. Under the new price list, Merit cigarettes cost EGP 121 ($2.30) per pack, Marlboro EGP 109 ($2.07), Marlboro Crafted EGP 79 ($1.50), and L&M EGP 88 ($1.67). Heated tobacco products are priced at EGP 88 for TEREA, EGP 93 ($1.77) for TEREA Capsules, and EGP 69 ($1.31) for HEETS. The company said prices are displayed through QR codes on product packaging and urged retailers and distributors to comply with the updated list.
Tag: pmi
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Dutch Anti-Smoking Groups Preparing Complaint Against Philip Morris
Dutch pulmonologist Wanda de Kanter and the Foundation for Youth Smoking Prevention (Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd) are reportedly preparing a criminal complaint against Philip Morris International, alleging the company misleads consumers about the health risks of its heated tobacco products and violates restrictions on nicotine advertising. The complaint, being prepared with attorney Bénédicte Ficq, is expected to be filed within two weeks, with support from the Dutch cancer society KWF Kankerbestrijding and the lung health organization Longfonds.
The foundation argues that Philip Morris presents heated tobacco as less harmful than conventional cigarettes, despite the Netherlands’ National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) saying that heated tobacco products remain harmful and are not a safe alternative to smoking.
The complaint follows an unsuccessful 2016 criminal case brought by Ficq on behalf of De Kanter’s organization against Philip Morris and other tobacco manufacturers. Prosecutors declined to pursue that case, concluding that the allegations did not constitute a criminal matter and that tobacco regulation was a matter for lawmakers. Ficq argues that existing prohibitions on tobacco advertising and misleading consumers provide grounds for prosecution in the new case.
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Analysis Shows Increased MEP Engagement with Industry Lobbyists
A POLITICO analysis of European Parliament disclosures found that lawmakers declared more than 400 meetings with tobacco and nicotine industry representatives since the current parliamentary term began in summer 2024, compared with about 100 during the entire 2019-2024 term. About 75% of the meetings involved lawmakers from three right-leaning political groups. Philip Morris International accounted for at least 178 meetings, followed by British American Tobacco with 60, according to data analyzed by POLITICO.
The meetings covered proposed revisions to EU tobacco product and advertising rules, minimum taxes on tobacco and nicotine products, and public health initiatives. Public health advocates criticized the industry’s access to lawmakers, while industry representatives defended the meetings as legitimate engagement in the legislative process. The Smoke Free Partnership said the data showed increased lobbying around key policy initiatives, while noting that meetings alone do not establish direct influence on legislative decisions.
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Philip Morris T&T Warns Vaping Duty Could Fuel Illicit Trade
Philip Morris T&T Ltd. has warned that Trinidad and Tobago’s proposed 20% customs duty on vaping devices and e-liquids could increase illicit trade. The measure was announced by Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo in his Oct. 12 budget presentation and is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The government also plans to prohibit vaping in public places and the sale of vaping products to people under 21.
Marisa Bernard, corporate affairs manager for Caricom at Philip Morris T&T, said the company supports stronger measures to prevent underage access, including raising the minimum legal age for tobacco and vaping-related purchases to 21. She said the company is still assessing the proposed duty’s commercial impact and called for tax policy to balance revenue objectives, public health goals, and efforts to curb illegal trade.
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PMI Reports Higher Third-Quarter Revenue
Philip Morris International reported third-quarter 2026 net revenue of $11.4 billion, up 5.5% from a year earlier, while operating income increased 14.1% to $4.9 billion. Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 5.4% to $2.36. Shipment volume increased 0.6% to 206.2 billion cigarette-equivalent units, including 2.7% growth in smoke-free products. Smoke-free products accounted for more than 40% of quarterly revenue.
IQOS heated-tobacco unit shipments rose 1.5% to 41.5 billion, while VEEV e-vapor shipments increased 61.6%. In the United States, ZYN nicotine pouch shipments grew 4.2% to 3.2 billion pouches. PMI raised its regular quarterly dividend 8.8% to $1.60 per share and updated its 2026 adjusted diluted earnings-per-share forecast to $8.29 to $8.44, excluding currency effects.
Following PMI’s third-quarter results, Reuters reported that the company faces rising cost pressures from the war in the Middle East, including energy-related inflation expected to worsen in the fourth quarter. Strikes in Ukraine have also disrupted operations, and PMI expects the effects to continue weighing on operating income this year. The company said the broader effects on consumers and global costs remain difficult to assess, although the situation is currently manageable.
Reuters also highlighted slower ZYN growth amid competition from British American Tobacco’s Velo. PMI plans to increase investment in ZYN and transition most of its U.S. nicotine pouch portfolio from 15-pouch to 20-pouch cans. Reuters reported that PMI shares fell 3% in premarket trading following the results.
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ASH Report Challenges UK’s Illicit Tobacco Market Numbers
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a U.K. tobacco-control charity, has challenged tobacco industry estimates of the country’s illicit cigarette market, citing a discrepancy between government figures and industry-funded research. In a report published Oct. 19, ASH said HM Revenue & Customs estimated that illicit cigarettes accounted for 12% of U.K. cigarette consumption in 2024-25, or about 1.9 billion cigarettes. A KPMG report commissioned by Philip Morris International estimated that 45% of cigarettes consumed in the U.K. in 2025 were illicit, including counterfeit and contraband products and cigarettes purchased legally abroad.
ASH said illicit cigarette consumption had fallen by nearly 90% since 2000, from 15.1 billion cigarettes annually to 1.9 billion in 2024-25, with cigarette prices more than tripling. Japan Tobacco International said the industry’s estimates use different methodologies from HMRC’s, including analysis of collected cigarette packs, and cautioned against treating any single estimate as definitive. The Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association also cited uncertainty in HMRC’s estimates of the illicit tobacco tax gap.
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Nelt Group and PMI Renew Serbian Distribution Agreement
Nelt Group and Philip Morris International signed a new five-year distribution agreement for Serbia, extending a partnership that began in 2014. The agreement covers distribution operations in the Serbian market. Nenad Miščević, Nelt Group’s vice president for the Serbian market, said the renewed agreement continues the companies’ cooperation.
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PMI Study Puts EU Economic Contribution at €343 Billion From 2021 to 2025
Philip Morris International (PMI) contributed nearly €343 billion to the European Union economy from 2021 through 2025, including €22.3 billion in spending with European suppliers, €27.4 billion invested across its European operations, and €39.5 billion in exports, according to an economic footprint study prepared by EY-Parthenon and released Oct. 15. The study also found that PMI’s European value chain supported nearly 164,000 jobs in 2025, including about 22,500 direct jobs, and that the company invested €422 million in research and development in Europe. PMI reported an additional approximately €2.2 billion in R&D activities in Switzerland.
PMI said the figures reflect its manufacturing, supply-chain, research, and commercial activities across the region. The company reported that more than half of its net revenues in Europe came from smoke-free products in the fourth quarter of 2025. Since 2008, PMI has invested more than $16 billion globally in developing, scientifically assessing, and commercializing smoke-free products, including heated-tobacco devices, nicotine pouches, and e-vapor products.
The report is the second edition of PMI’s EU Economic Footprint Study and covers the period from 2021 to 2025. PMI Europe President Marco Hannapel said the company’s investments and industrial operations contribute to the region’s economic activity and called for regulatory frameworks that support investment and innovation. The full EU Economic Footprint Study is available from PMI.
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PMI to Report Third-Quarter Results Oct. 21
Philip Morris International will release its 2026 third-quarter and first nine-month financial results at approximately 7 a.m. ET on Oct. 21, followed by a live audio webcast at 9 a.m. ET hosted by Group Chief Financial Officer Massimo Andolina. The webcast will include a discussion of financial results and a question-and-answer session with the investment community. The presentation, recording, and supporting materials will be available on the company’s investor relations website.
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PMI Forum Highlights Smoke-Free Alternatives in Asia, Latin America
Philip Morris International (PMI) convened its first Central Asian Technovation forum in Tashkent, bringing together government officials, scientists, doctors, business leaders, and consumer advocates from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Russia to discuss the role of smoke-free alternatives in tobacco policy. PMI representatives cited Japan, Sweden, and the United States as examples of markets where alternatives such as heated-tobacco products, snus, and nicotine pouches have been associated with declining cigarette use.
PMI’s Dr. Tomoko Iida said cigarette sales in Japan fell by more than half between 2011 and 2023, while daily smoking in Sweden declined to 3.7% in 2025. Speakers also discussed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s reviews of certain tobacco and nicotine products, the importance of evidence-based regulation, and the risks of illicit trade. Participants emphasized that quitting smoking remains the preferred outcome, while arguing that adult smokers who do not quit should have access to accurate information about alternatives. Uzbekistan’s State Customs Committee reported reducing the illicit share of the tobacco market to about 7% and seizing more than 3 million illicit cigarette packs this year.
PMI Highlights Smoke-Free Products in Latin America
Philip Morris International highlighted its smoke-free portfolio at its Technovation 2026 event in Buenos Aires on Oct. 7–8, showcasing IQOS heated-tobacco products and ZYN nicotine pouches. PMI Chief Global Growth Officer Stefano Volpetti said smoke-free products account for more than 7% of the market in Mexico City. Argentina lifted its prohibition on heated-tobacco products in May and introduced product-registration requirements, opening a regulated path for their sale.
A PMI-commissioned survey found that only 8% of respondents across four Latin American countries were familiar with nicotine pouches, indicating limited consumer awareness of the category in the markets surveyed. The company’s regional strategy includes expanding its smoke-free product portfolio as regulatory frameworks and market access evolve across Latin America.