Tobacco giant BAT probed over covert advertising in Italy

Earlier this year, BAT forecast e-cigarette and tobacco heating devices would contribute to earnings for the first time this year as more smokers switch to products perceived as less harmful in the pandemic.

Italy's antitrust regulator has said it has launched a probe into the Italian unit of cigarette giant British America Tobacco (BAT) over alleged covert advertising of its tobacco heating product Glo Hyper on social media.

The watchdog said in a statement that three influencers who had commercial agreements with BAT invited their followers on Instagram to publish content linked to Glo Hyper, without specifying it was advertising.