​The export of heated tobacco products makes a significant contribution to reducing Romania’s trade deficit. In 2022, the export of heated tobacco products again exceeded the export of cigarettes.Last year, total exports of heated tobacco products reached 830 million euros, up 13% from the previous year, while exports of cigarettes from Romania amounted to 627 million euros. The contribution is significant considering the fact that Romania ended 2022 with a trade deficit of €34.09 billion, €10.4 billion higher than the previous year.

Philip Morris Romania is a reliable partner of the Romanian state and makes a significant contribution to reducing the trade deficit. Currently, more than 90% of the products of the factory in Otopeni are exported to 54 countries on 5 continents. The factory was transformed after a $600 million investment into a modern manufacturing facility that focuses primarily on heated tobacco products. Thus, Romania plays an important role in PMI’s strategy to build a smoke-free future.

“We have been building in Romania for 30 years. Over these three decades, we have invested more than a billion dollars, hired a local workforce and had a positive impact on the Romanian economy. The plant in Otopeni is one of the most modern units in the world and the second in Europe for the production of consumables after the PMI plant in Bologna. Products that heat tobacco instead of burning it are equally important to both public health and the economy of Romania, and the impact of our activities is not only visible at the local level. We are also relevant in other markets where consumables produced in Romania are exported for smokeless products.” – Mircea Skaunasu, CEO of Philip Morris Romania.

Research by PMI and several independent experts shows that smokeless products are significantly less harmful than cigarettes and are a better alternative for smokers. Recently, health organizations and experts in several European countries have called for legislation to clearly distinguish between cigarettes and smokeless products. Countries such as Sweden, Japan and Great Britain, which have decided to treat smokeless products differently depending on how harmful they are to health, have made significant progress in reducing smoking.

“Studies show that when smokers have access to alternative products and are given the right information about them, many of them decide to switch. In countries such as Japan, more than a third of adult smokers have already used heated tobacco. According to the latest report by the Japan Tobacco Institute, cigarette consumption has fallen by 44% in the 5 years since the introduction of heated tobacco products, the largest drop ever recorded in this country. This is also reflected in Romania’s growing exports to Japan of heated tobacco. However, there are also cases like Mexico, a country that recently banned the import of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, a decision that will primarily affect Mexican smokers, who will be denied access to smokeless products, as evidenced by scientific studies. Romania will continue to export heated tobacco products to those countries that understand how to offer adult smokers a less harmful alternative to continuing to smoke.” – Dragos Bucurenci, Director of External Relations, Philip Morris Romania.

Article supported by Philip Morris Romania