The limited edition Metallic Blue IQOS, a heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco device made by Philip Morris, is now available in South Korea.
The release of the Metallic Blue IQOS, which currently retails for 120,000 won ($110), in South Korea comes on the heels of the limited edition Ruby IQOS’s release in the country, which hit shelves in November of last year.
With all of the limited edition IQOS devices hitting the Korean market, one might be inclined to ask why? Why is Philip Morris International (PMI) making a push in the Korean marketplace? While we can’t say for certain, there’s a chance it may have something to do with the dramatic drop in cigarette sales seen in the country in recent years.
Korea Biomedical Review reported that Korean consumers are increasingly health-conscientious, which in turn is leading some to switch from smoking to vaping – a seemingly healthier alternative to smoking. Which is a position backed by the findings of Public Health England’s latest independent e-cig review.
In South Korea, the price of cigarettes rose 80% in 2015 in a bid to promote public health, according to the South Korean government. This resulted in a price increase from 2,500 won ($2.30) to 4,500 won ($4.14).
In addition to a price increase, advertising laws in the country mandated that tobacco companies display graphic warnings on their cigarette packs in order to warn users of their inherent risk.
This is where products like IQOS come into the picture, offering consumers what their manufacturers would love to market as “healthier” alternatives to conventional cigarettes and tobacco smoking.
While an FDA panel voted to mostly deny PMI’s proposed IQOS marketing claims in the United States, a preliminary review conducted by the administration found the output of the IQOS device to be less harmful than cigarette smoke.
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