Philip Morris Bulgaria’s IQOS ILUMA Refreshed program is giving used smoke-free devices a second life, by refurbishing and reintroducing them to the market at a more accessible price point.
Apart from the environmental benefits of reducing post-consumer waste and applying the principles of circular economy (contributing to Philip Morris International’s ambitious aspiration to refresh or repair at least one million smoke-free electronic devices by 2025), the program also helps Philip Morris Bulgaria fulfil an important role in offering price-sensitive adult consumers more affordable smoke-free alternatives to continued smoking.
Fashion designer Antoniya Yordanova
“With Refreshed, we’re empowering our smoke-free product users to join us in the efforts to reduce post-consumer waste by returning their used devices, into which we can breathe new life,” said Polina Ninova, Head of Marketing, Digital, and Consumer Experience for the Smoke-Free Product Category at Philip Morris Bulgaria.
“We update and test each returned device to ensure only the highest quality and fully refurbished ones will find a new owner. These more affordable devices come with the same warranty terms as a new one.
“And for devices we can’t refurbish, we recycle any suitable components we can. The program is a small part of the future we aim to design; smoke-free, less e-waste, more circular use of materials, and more affordable products for our legal-age users.”
A refreshing approach
In April 2023, the team in Philip Morris Bulgaria began a three-month pilot campaign introducing IQOS Duo Refreshed as a limited product offer, focusing on the refurbished smoke-free devices at a more affordable price. Following its success, in July 2024, Philip Morris Bulgaria launched the full Refreshed program in Sofia as a permanent product line.
The launch campaign featured a collaboration with local fashion designer Antoniya Yordanova, who created a bespoke series of “Refreshed” tote bags—inspired by the program’s themes of sustainability and circularity, combining the upcycling of textiles from her previous collections—which were designed to fit both the device and smoke-free consumables.
The collaboration is another step toward showing how important it is to reduce waste, and to invest in products created with the idea of a better, smoke-free, future in mind.
Thanks to the innovative collaboration, the refurbished line has become a preferred choice of smoke-free products within the group of our legal-age consumers up to 29 years of age.
“When we talk about designs, fabrics, concepts, and ideas, sustainability is an important part of my conception process,” reflected Yordanova. “The collaboration is another step toward showing how important it is to reduce waste, both electronic and textile, and to invest in products created with the idea of a better, smoke-free, future in mind.
“I was pleasantly surprised that the global brand has an interest in local designers and was impressed that they wanted to do creative projects that care for the environment. I see the brand as a partner that has inspired me professionally through its philosophy of sustainability.”
The program has proved to be a success. When asked how other markets might replicate Philip Morris Bulgaria’s results, Ninova advised: “Be bold in presenting the product line not as just another sustainability initiative, but as a smart and modern proactive choice for every adult consumer with the care for the environment and the vision for a smoke-free future in mind.”
A smoke-free product boutique in Bulgaria, with Yordanova’s “Refreshed” tote bag
A more sustainable future
By integrating sustainability considerations into our product design—from choice of materials to end-of-use and end-of-life—we can reduce environmental impacts, improve circularity, and better manage associated costs. We aim to understand and manage environmental impacts across our entire value chain, including assessing and extending the lifecycles of our smoke-free devices.
In 2023, we met our effective recycling rate aspiration of more than 80 percent of our smoke-free electronic device sales volume to be covered by the CIRCLE program. PMI’s CIRCLE hubs in Hungary and Japan continued to drive excellence in e-waste management. Our CIRCLE hub activities produced 315 tons of shredded materials coming from dismantled devices during that year.
To add to our efforts for improving circularity, our aspiration is for 100 percent of our PMI smoke-free electronic devices introduced on the market as of the end of 2025 to have eco-design certification.
The goal now for the team in Bulgaria is to make the Refreshed line a successful part of the product portfolio, and the team is looking to collaborate further with local artists to build on the awareness of product sustainability.
“Our objective is to position the Refreshed product line as a preferred option for many Bulgarian legal-age consumers who value not only the affordable price of these smoke-free devices, but also the sustainability commitment that we’re now able to offer them,” said Panagiotis Rousakis, Head of Commercial Operations at Philip Morris Bulgaria.
“Sustainability is at the heart of our mission to build a smoke-free future. We are committed to reducing the environmental footprint of our products, particularly through a variety of recycling activities and programs.”
