On Wednesday, Italy’s competition watchdog fined British American Tobacco’s Italian business six million euros ($6.4 million) and Amazon one million euros for false promotion of a heated tobacco product.
The AGCM watchdog said the companies advertised BAT’s Glo Hyper X2 and Glo Hyper Air devices without making clear “information about the tobacco/nicotine consumption connected to the use of these devices and the prohibition of their sale to minors”.
It said that the gadgets were sold as “simple electronic devices and mere design objects,” with advertisements emphasising the aesthetics while omitting the reality that they include tobacco use.
“This is seriously misleading conduct which induces the customer to buy a product that poses health risks and is banned for minors,” the regulatory body warned.
Neither BAT Italia nor Amazon. It, the Italian division of the US conglomerate named as the internet seller, reacted to calls for comment.
The fine occurred after the watchdog conducted an inquiry in April 2023.