Philip Morris South Africa (PMSA), an affiliate of the leading international tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI), opens its first IQOS flagship store in Sandton City, adding to its current retail footprint of 11 kiosks in leading malls across Gauteng, Western Cape and Kwazulu-Natal.
Sandton City is Africa’s most prestigious shopping destination, from high street labels to luxury brands and technology – the location is an obvious fit for the brand. According to Marcelo Nico, Managing Director of PMSA, “We celebrate this milestone of expanding our South African footprint which is a meaningful stride towards realising our vision of a smoke-free future.”
IQOS is better alternative than cigarettes for adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking. But what makes it a better alternative? IQOS heats real tobacco instead of liquids, and *emits 95% lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes. While it provides tobacco taste satisfaction, it doesn’t produce cigarette smoke smell, second hand smoke or ash. IQOS is not risk free. It delivers nicotine which is addictive.
The 160sqm store’s interior is minimalistic, fresh and draws cues from Scandinavian design and other IQOS flagship boutiques around the world like: London, Tokyo, Milan and Monaco to name a few. It’s a first for tobacco companies to set up retail stores and offer extraordinary customer experiences. Globally, over 7 million smokers across 47 countries have fully switched to IQOS.
Nico states that while the best option is to quit smoking entirely, for those who choose not to quit, IQOS is a better choice – this space is for them to experience it, and understand why it’s a better choice. It’s also for existing IQOS users, where they can get customer care support.
*It does not necessarily equal a 95% reduction in risk.
