GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE – IQOS

Date :  13 Novembre, 2023

The website www.iqos.com (the "Website") is published by Philip Morris France SAS, a simplified joint stock company with a single shareholder (société par actions simplifiée à associé unique) with a share capital of 80,000 euros, registered in the Nanterre Trade and Companies Register under the number 712 054 014, whose registered office is located   23-25 rue Delarivière Lefoullon – 92064 LA DEFENSE CEDEX, intra-community VAT registration number: FR 21712054014, telephone number: 0800 814 814, email address:  contact.fr@iqos.com ("Philip Morris France SAS").

Products are sold to Customers by Philip Morris France SAS.

The Website is hosted by Salesforce.com Germany GmbH, Erika-Mann-Str. 31, 80636 Munich, Germany

1.   Purpose and scope

These general terms and conditions of sale (the "GTCS") apply to all orders placed on the Website by any purchaser who is a non-professional natural person having the status of a consumer within the meaning of the first article of the French Consumer Code (Code de la consommation) (the "Customer(s)") for the purchase of products presented on the Website (the Product(s)"). Before being able to place a valid order on the Website, the Customer expressly declares that they have full legal capacity to enter into a contract, i.e. that they have reached the age of legal majority (18 years in France) and that they are not under some form of guardianship.

In order to ensure that the Customer is legally of age at the time of purchase of the Products, the date of birth provided by the Customer on the Site will be verified. Different online age verification methods may be applied in order to proceed with this verification of the Customer's age, the Customer may be asked to upload an identity document online before his first purchase on the Site. This identity document will be deleted as soon as the verification is done and will not be kept.

The GTCS govern the contractual relationship between Philip Morris France SAS and the Customer. The GTCS apply exclusively to Products delivered in metropolitan France.

The Customer undertakes not to purchase Products on the Website with a view to reselling them. IQOS Products are intended for use by adults only.

The GTCS are accessible to the Customer on the Website where they can be directly consulted at any time. The Customer may keep these GTCS on a durable medium by printing them out. When an order is placed, the GTCS shall be attached to the order confirmation email sent to the Customer.

Philip Morris France SAS reserves the right to amend the GTCS at any time. The amended GTCS shall take effect on the date on which they are put online on the Website and shall apply to all orders placed on the Website as from the date on which they are put online.

Philip Morris France SAS recommends that the Customer carefully read the GTCS before each order, as they may have been amended. All orders presuppose that the GTCS have been consulted and accepted by means of a checkbox provided for this purpose which includes a hypertext link to the said GTCS.

2.   Products

2.1 Characteristics

Each of the Products offered for sale on the Website is presented in a description stating its essential characteristics.

The representations and photographs of the Products available on the Website have no contractual value. Philip Morris France SAS, in its capacity as publisher of the website, does its utmost to ensure that these representations and photographs are as accurate and faithful as possible to reality, but the actual appearance of the Products (including colour, dimensions, textures and other characteristics) may be slightly different from the photographs appearing on the Website. This may be attributable to technical, photographic and data-processing reasons, for example as a result of the lighting during the shooting process and the resolution of the screens and the equipment or web browsers you use when visiting the Website.

The Customer is advised to consult the description of each Product to learn about its precise essential characteristics. In the event of any doubt, or to obtain additional information on the Products, you can contact Philip Morris France SAS Customer Service Department by

email: contact.fr@iqos.com and by telephone at 0800 814 814 .

2.2 Availability

Product offers are valid as long as they are visible on the Website, within the limits of available stocks. Sales are concluded subject to the actual availability of the Products.

Philip Morris France SAS makes every effort to keep up to date the information on the availability of the Products on the Website. Philip Morris France SAS shall notify the Customer by e-mail or telephone if an ordered Product is no longer available.

In accordance with the provisions of Article L. 121-11 of the French Consumer Code, Philip Morris France SAS reserves the right to refuse or cancel an order for legitimate reasons (for example, orders for abnormal quantities, orders placed in bad faith or orders placed by a Customer with whom a dispute exists relating to a previous order).

Orders that are cancelled under the above conditions shall be refunded within a maximum period of fourteen (14) days following the cancellation of the order.

As a general rule, the Website may be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, subject to:

  • a force majeure event;
  • the availability of the Internet network;
  • temporary suspensions of the Website for technical reasons related to website updates, maintenance or any other technical reasons.

3.   Orders

Orders can only be placed via the Website. The Customer shall bear the costs of connecting to and accessing the Internet.

The Products on the Site are sold only through retail sale to Customers as end consumers. Thus, in particular, the Customer agrees not to proceed with purchases of Products on the Site for resale and declares that his purchase of Products is unrelated to a commercial activity.

In general, Philip Morris France SAS may refuse to honor any order that does not correspond to a retail sale or that is fraudulent (or reasonably presumed to be fraudulent). Philip Morris France SAS reserves the right, in this context, to limit the quantities of Products ordered by the same Customer (same name and first name, same postal address and / or same email address), being specified that in any case, no order made by the same Customer and exceeding a total amount of 300 euros excluding taxes will not be accepted by Philip Morris France SAS.

It is further specified that IQOS Products are intended for use by adults only.

3.1 Creating a personal account

Customer must create a personal account using a username and password to place an order for Products. In order to complete the purchase, the Customer must also fill-in the online registration form, which contains the information necessary to carry out the order (surname, first name, date of birth and an identity document if required for additional age verification, full postal address, email address, telephone number - any mandatory information shall be followed by an asterisk).

In this respect, the Customer hereby warrants to Philip Morris France SAS that the information they have provided in the registration form when creating their personal account is accurate and complete. Philip Morris France SAS shall not be held liable in the event that the Customer has provided incomplete information or errors and if this prevents Philip Morris France SAS from fulfilling the order (in particular from delivering the Product ordered) under the specified conditions.

The Customer's username and password are strictly personal and confidential. The Customer is solely responsible for the storage and use of their username and password.

This order shall be presumed to have been placed by the Customer if this username and password is used to place an order for Products on the Website. Philip Morris France SAS shall not be liable to the Customer for any damage suffered as a result of the unlawful use, fraudulent use or misuse of their username and password and any order for Products placed by any person whom the Customer has not authorised to place orders.

It is the Customer's responsibility to notify Philip Morris France SAS immediately if an unauthorised person has placed an order for Products with their username and password, as well as if they lose or forget their username and password.

Philip Morris France SAS reserves the right to close any account in the following cases:

  • dispute concerning one or more previous orders;
  • any misuse or any unfair, fanciful or fraudulent use of the ordering service offered on the Website or non-compliance with any of the Customer's obligations defined in these GTCS.

3. 2 Ordering process

To place orders on the Website, Customer must:

  • select the Product(s) and the desired quantities by adding them to their shopping cart;
  • view their shopping cart containing the selected Products once they have finished making their selection. This step allows Customers to make any changes to their shopping cart before validating it, where applicable;
  • validate the shopping cart;
  • select the delivery method (with precise costs and delivery times) and enter their delivery and invoicing addresses;
  • validate their delivery method;
  • view a summary of their order. At this stage, Customers must check the details of their order, along with the method and terms of delivery. Customers may correct any errors they identify;
  • confirm their order by ticking the box indicating acceptance of the GTCS and clicking on the "order and pay" button;
  • select their payment method and pay for their order online to finalize the order.

Following payment of the order, Philip Morris France SAS will acknowledge receipt of the order electronically by sending the Customer a confirmation email, including the applicable GTCS.

4.  Prices and terms of payment

The price of the Products is given in euros, including all taxes, and takes into account the value added tax (VAT) in force on the day the order is validated by the Customer as evidenced by their online payment.

Philip Morris France SAS reserves the right to modify its prices at any time. Nevertheless, the price of the Products invoiced to the Customer shall be the price in force at the time the order is validated.

The prices of the Products do not include the delivery costs of the Products; such delivery costs shall be notified to the Customer no later than the time of the latter’s payment of the Order (see below).

The Products remain the property of Philip Morris France SAS until the price has been paid in full.

Purchases are paid for using a credit card (Visa, Mastercard), via Paypal or Klarna. The card is debited when the order is validated.

5.   Delivery

The Products are delivered to the address provided when ordering, within metropolitan France exclusively. No deliveries shall be made to hotels or post office boxes.

The following methods of delivery are available:

  • Express for any order in metropolitan France (including Corsica).

For each proposed delivery method, the delivery costs are specified on the page used to select and validate the delivery method, and also appear on the page summarising the order. The delivery costs are free for any order of 25 euros or more.

Due to the exceptional circumstances related to Covid-19, delivery is currently free for any order (placed from Monday March 23, 2020 and until further notice), with no minimum order amount required.

Delivery shall be made within the time limits given to the Customer when the order is placed and confirmed.

Each delivery is deemed to have been made as soon as the carrier of the Products makes the delivery available to the Customer or to a third party designated by the Customer, as evidenced by the control system used by the carrier. No dispute relating to the delivery per se shall be admissible if the package appears to have been delivered, it being understood that the carrier's computer system shall be regarded as providing proof of delivery.

During delivery, it is strongly recommended that the Customer notify the carrier of any reservations regarding the packaging and, where applicable, the condition of the Products (e.g. open and/or damaged package). If the package is damaged on delivery, the Customer must check the condition of the Products in the presence of the carrier before signing the delivery note and state precisely on the carrier's delivery note any reservation with regard to any missing or damaged Product.

In the event of any failure to meet the delivery deadlines notified to the Customer, the latter shall have the right to terminate the contract, provided that the delay is not attributable to the fault of the Customer (for example if the Customer provides incorrect delivery information at the time of the order) or to a force majeure event.

This right of termination may be exercised subject to the provisions of Article L. 216-2 of the French Consumer Code:

The Customer must first instruct Philip Morris France SAS to carry out the delivery within a reasonable additional period, by sending a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the following address: Philip Morris France SAS 23-25 rue Delarivière Lefoullon – 92064 LA DEFENSE CEDEX, or by sending an email to the following address:  contact.fr@iqos.com if the Products have not been received by the end of this new additional period, the Customer may then terminate the contract by sending a new registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or a new email.

The contract shall be terminated upon receipt by Philip Morris France SAS of the written notice of such termination, unless Philip Morris France SAS has meanwhile fulfilled its obligations. In the event that the contract is terminated, Philip Morris France SAS shall refund the amounts paid by the Customer in respect of the order, no later than fourteen (14) days following the date on which the contract was terminated.

6.   Right of withdrawal (Money Back Guarantee) 

The Customer has the right to exercise their right of withdrawal (Money Back Guarantee) without giving reasons within thirty (30) days of the day on which the Customer, or a third party other than the carrier designated by the Customer, physically takes possession of the Products that were purchased on iqos.com. 

In the event that the Customer has ordered several Products within a single order, or if the Products have been delivered in several instalments, the withdrawal period shall begin when the Customer, or a third party other than the carrier designated by the Customer, physically takes possession of the last Product or the last instalment of the delivery. 

If the Customer wishes to withdraw from the transaction within the specified time limits, they must go to www.pp.iqos.com, in the Account area "My Orders", select the order they wish to return, and request a prepaid return label by clicking on "Return this order" and complete all required steps. 

Once the request is registered, the Customer will receive a confirmation SMS as well as an e-mail containing the prepaid return label. They can then choose to print this transport label and stick it on their return package before dropping it off at a nearby Relais Pick Up or post office. If the Customer cannot or does not wish to print the return label, they can directly go to a post office equipped with a franking machine or to a Relais Pick Up with the e-mail received in order to return their return package easily. 

Upon receiving the return package from the sender, an email confirming receipt is sent to the Customer. The refund is made subject to the return of the complete kit (IQOS, IQOS pocket charger, IQOS adapter, IQOS USB cable, IQOS cleaning kit) in working condition. A check will be done upon reception. 

Unless the Customer expressly agrees to another refund method, the original payment method shall be used to refund the returned Product. Said refund shall be made without undue delay and in any event within a maximum period of fourteen (14) days from receipt by Philip Morris France SAS of the Product returned by the Customer.

It should be noted that Philip Morris France SAS shall not refund the additional costs incurred by the Customer in choosing to use a more expensive delivery method than the delivery method offered by Philip Morris France SAS.

7.   Legal warranties

The consumer has a period of two years from the delivery of the goods to obtain the implementation of the legal warranty of conformity in case of a defect of conformity. During this period, the consumer is only required to establish the existence of the lack of conformity and not the date of its appearance.

Where the contract of sale of the goods provides for the supply of digital content or a digital service on a continuous basis for a period of more than two years, the legal warranty shall apply to that digital content or digital service throughout the period of supply provided. During this period, the consumer is only required to establish the existence of the lack of conformity affecting the digital content or service and not the date of its appearance.

The legal warranty of conformity entails the obligation for the professional, if necessary, to provide all the updates necessary to maintain the conformity of the good.

The legal warranty of conformity provides the consumer with the right to repair or replace the good within thirty days of his request, without charge and without major inconvenience to him.

If the good is repaired under the legal warranty of conformity, the consumer benefits from a six-month extension of the initial warranty.

If the consumer asks for the good to be repaired, but the seller imposes a replacement, the legal warranty of conformity is renewed for a period of two years from the date of the replacement of the good.

The consumer may obtain a reduction in the purchase price by keeping the good or terminate the contract by obtaining a full refund in exchange for the return of the good, if:

1° The professional refuses to repair or replace the goods;

2° The repair or replacement of the goods takes place after a period of thirty days;

3° The repair or replacement of the good causes a major inconvenience for the consumer, in particular when the consumer definitively bears the cost of taking back or removing the non-conforming good, or if he bears the cost of installing the repaired or replaced good;

4° The non-conformity of the goods persists despite the seller's attempt to bring the goods into conformity, which has been unsuccessful.

The consumer is also entitled to a reduction in the price of the goods or to rescission of the contract when the lack of conformity is so serious that it justifies the reduction in price or the rescission of the contract being immediate. The consumer is then not obliged to ask for the repair or replacement of the goods beforehand.

The consumer is not entitled to rescind the sale if the lack of conformity is minor.

Any period of immobilization of the good for repair or replacement suspends the warranty that was still running until the delivery of the good in its original condition.

The rights mentioned above result from the application of articles L. 217-1 to L. 217-32 of the Consumer Code.

The seller who obstructs in bad faith the implementation of the legal warranty of conformity is liable to a civil fine of up to 300,000 euros, which can be increased to 10% of the average annual turnover (Article L. 241-5 of the Consumer Code).

The consumer also benefits from the legal warranty of hidden defects pursuant to Articles 1641 to 1649 of the Civil Code, for a period of two years from the discovery of the defect. This guarantee gives the right to a price reduction if the good is kept or to a full refund against return of the good.

Article 1641 of the French Civil Code:

“The seller is bound to a warranty against hidden defects in the thing sold that render it unfit for its intended use, or that so impair its use that the buyer would not have bought it, or would only have given a lesser price for it if they had known of the defects.”

Article 1648-1 of the French Civil Code:

"An action resulting from redhibitory defects must be brought by the buyer within two years from the discovery of the defect.”

8.   Intellectual Property

The Philip Morris France SAS trademark, as well as all the figurative or non-figurative brands, and more generally all the other trademarks, illustrations, images and logos appearing on the Products, their accessories or their packaging, whether registered or not (the "Philip Morris Trademarks") are and remain the exclusive property of Philip Morris France SAS or are granted under licence to Philip Morris France SAS.

The Website and all graphic, textual, visual and photographic elements contained therein, including but not limited to all illustrations, images, drawings, photographs, characters, texts, decors, presentation modes, graphics or any other element of the Website (hereinafter the "Content") are and remain the exclusive property of Philip Morris France SAS or are licensed to Philip Morris France SAS and are protected in particular by intellectual property rights.

Under no circumstances may the Philip Morris Trademarks, the Website and/or its Content be modified, reproduced, represented, distributed, displayed, marketed, and/or incorporated into a derivative work or any other work, either in whole or in part, on any medium whatsoever. As a general rule, the Philip Morris Trademarks, the Website and its Content may only be used for the purpose of browsing the Website and, where applicable, for placing an order.

It is strictly forbidden to use all or part of the Philip Morris Trademarks, the Website and/or its Content (in particular by downloading, reproducing, transmitting or representing them) for any purpose other than those provided for in these GTCS.

9.   Personal Data

When the Customer browses the Website, creates a personal account and / or places an order, Philip Morris France SAS collects and processes the personal data that the customer transmits.

Philip Morris France SAS, data controller, undertakes to protect this personal data.

For more information on how Philip Morris France SAS collects, uses and processes personal data, the Customer is invited to consult the Philip Morris France SAS privacy policy available here (https://www.pmiprivacy.com/en/consumer).

The processing of the personal data of the Customer by Philip Morris France SAS is implemented for the purposes of the execution of the order and its consequences (including warranty, right of withdrawal if applicable, etc.) as well as for the follow-up of the customer relationship. The legal basis of the treatment is thus the execution of the contract.

To allow a good treatment of your order and in particular to allow an adapted follow-up and an optimal delivery, your personal data are communicated to the companies of the same group as Philip Morris France SAS, as well as to their service providers and subcontractors around the world intervening for the needs of the execution of your order. Some of them are located outside the European Union in countries that do not necessarily benefit from a decision of adequacy rendered by the European Commission.

The protection and security of personal data thus transferred outside the European Union is ensured at all times, in particular by the implementation of contractual clauses in accordance with the legislation in force. A copy of these data protection mechanisms is available via: https: www.cnil.fr/sites/default/files/typo/document/CCT-2010-Ss_Traitants_VF.pdf

Your personal data are not retained beyond the time necessary for their processing and, in any event, for a maximum of ten years from their collection or the last contact initiated with Philip Morris France SAS.

The Customer may at any time access his personal data, request their rectification, request their removal or limitation for legitimate reason in accordance with the legal provisions. In some cases, he may oppose a treatment for reasons related to his particular situation or exercise his right to the portability of his data.

All or part of these rights can be exercised by sending a request by email to contact.fr@iqos.com.

If you believe that your rights were not respected as part of this treatment or that the implemented device did not comply with the rules for the protection of personal data, we invite you to contact us directly to the contact details above. You can also, if necessary, submit a complaint online to the CNIL or by post.

10. Governing law – disputes

These GTCS are subject to French law.

In the event of any complaint or dispute, the Customer must first contact Philip Morris France SAS customer service on  0800  292 292  (non-premium rate number when calling from a fixed line in metropolitan France), or by clicking on the "Contact Us" section at www.Iqos.com.

The parties undertake to settle the dispute out of court before taking any legal action or resorting to a mediation procedure.

In the event that a written complaint by the Customer to Philip Morris France SAS 's customer service department is unsuccessful or if said service fails to respond thereto within one (1) month, the Customer may choose any alternative dispute resolution method and/or access the European online dispute resolution platform at the following address: http://ec.europa.eu/odr, and either or both of the foregoing shall attempt, in complete independence and impartiality, to settle the dispute out of court.

The Customer remains free to accept or refuse the use of mediation and, in the event of mediation, each party is free to accept or refuse the solution proposed by the mediator.

The French courts shall have sole jurisdiction in the absence of an out-of-court settlement.

11. Miscellaneous provisions

In the event that one or more of the provisions of the GTCS are held to be invalid or unenforceable by a competent court or by applicable law or regulation, such provision shall be abolished without this affecting the validity and enforceability of the other provisions of these GTCS. 

This product is not risk free and is use with sticks that contain nicotine, which is addictive. Only for use by adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products.

Should Philip Morris France SAS fail to rely on any provision of these GTCS, this shall not constitute a waiver of such provision or of the right to subsequently rely on such provision and/or to claim compensation for any breach of such provision.