Cigarettes

Cigarettes are set to decrease over the forecast period due to increasing regulatory and socioeconomic pressures. Consumers are increasingly trading down or preferring the illicit market. International brands are well placed to capture growth via…

Almost uniquely among fmcg industries, tobacco legislation is not simply a guiding element or a means of enforcing consumer standards but a central determining factor in the performance of tobacco markets. As the cumulative de-normalising impact of…

Smoking prevalence continues to decline in Eastern Europe, with retail volume sales of cigarettes also falling. Some consumers continue to try and cut down on their smoking or quit altogether for health reasons, brought into even greater focus by…

Asia Pacific continues to be the largest cigarette market in the world. The region’s cigarette consumption experienced a decline caused by the impact of COVID-19 leaving consumers to reduce their consumption of cigarettes or shift to illegal trade.…

The pandemic caused notable behavioural change in most consumers, with government regulations contributing to disparate affects on the channel distribution, brand success and overall growth of cigarette markets across Western Europe. Rising taxation,…

British American Tobacco is a highly successful global tobacco company, holding leading positions in cigarette, vapour, HTP and oral nicotine categories. The tobacco industry is under scrutiny from public health and sustainability officials and in…

Although UnionPay is the largest card operator globally by card payment value, it is still far behind Visa and Mastercard outside China across all card segments. Besides commercial cards, its mobile app and QR, in which it has been expanding,…

As traditional cigarette consumption continues to decline globally due to health consciousness and rising pack prices, PMI’s goal of a smoke-free future sees the company continue to shift its focus away from its cigarettes portfolio towards reduced…

The results of Imperial Brands’ new strategy, aiming to consolidate its market share in its five largest combustible cigarette markets where the company has long-standing presence while gradually placing more resources on novel tobacco…

Japan Tobacco Inc is the world’s third largest international tobacco company, which holds its strongest position in its sharply declining domestic Japanese market. It has substantial shares in the Eastern and Western Europe regions that are also…

During the pandemic, cigarette consumption benefitted from remote working as well as high levels of stress among the local population. Moreover, consumers were not able to cross borders during the lockdowns to buy their cigarettes in neighbouring…

Volume sales increased significantly in 2022, in spite of high inflation stemming from the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. Part of the reason for the increased consumption of cigarettes was high stress levels, due to the uncertain…

In 2022, cigarettes in Brazil observed a sustained shift in consumer preference, as economy cigarettes gained share from mid-priced cigarettes. This change can be attributed to growing price sensitivity amongst consumers, and their perception of…

The long-term trend of declining volume sales of cigarettes continued in 2022, with consumers increasingly aware of the levels of harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke. Cigarettes posted negative performances in both retail volume and current value…

With mobility returning to pre-COVID levels, the frequency of consumption occasions has increased. This has led to the fastest volume growth in a decade, primarily driven by India's sizable population of working individuals. As of 2022, according to…

Cigarettes in the US saw declines in both retail volume and current value terms in 2023. High inflationary pressure led to increased consumer spending on groceries, entertainment, fuel, and more, ultimately negatively impacting the consumption of…

In 2023, cigarette sales in Argentina experienced a notable retraction, primarily driven by the country’s ongoing economic crisis, which significantly impacted consumer purchasing power. The weakening economy led to a moderate decline in cigarette…

In 2023, the retail value sales of cigarettes in Austria continued their downward trajectory, dropping below pre-COVID-19 volume sales levels of 2019. During the pandemic, cigarette consumption had seen a temporary boost due to increased consumption…

There was some volume growth of cigarettes in Azerbaijan in 2023. While the government has imposed policies to reduced prevalence, including increasing excise taxes, banning advertising and imposing restriction on smoking in public places, smoking…

Smoking prevalence in Bosnia and Herzegovina has continued to decline throughout the review period, a trend that persisted into 2023, exerting a downward pressure on cigarette consumption. This decline is attributed to a growing number of…

Cigarette consumption in Bulgaria recorded a marginal decline in 2023. The switch to alternative products among younger adults, such as heated tobacco products and single use cigarettes, has become very popular over the last year. Millennials and Gen…

In 2023, Canada saw a significant decline in the production of traditional cigarettes, with January marking the third lowest monthly production on record. This decrease in production capacity in the tobacco manufacturing industry marks part of the…

In 2023, sales of cigarettes in Colombia returned to a declining trend following a slight increase in the year prior. The downward trend is not only caused by lower smoking prevalence, but the shift towards alternatives like e-vapour products.…

Retail volumes sales of cigarettes in Denmark continued to see a double-digit decline in 2023. This performance fits with a general downward trajectory in the smoking prevalence for cigarettes in the market, as taxation, health and wellness trends…

Volume sales of cigarettes in Finland continued to decline in 2023. Finns are very aware of the harmful impact of smoking, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is a clear polarisation taking place between those who smoke and…

Cigarettes saw volume sales decline in France in 2023. Legal sales of cigarettes were forced to take another backseat in 2023. Having seen no tax increase in 2022 (the immediate post-pandemic period), taxes rose again in 2023, which resulted in a…

A worsening economic situation in 2023 had a significant effect on cigarettes in the Czech Republic. While lower than in 2022, the rate of inflation in the Czech Republic remained high, exerting upward pressure on production and transportation costs…

In 2023, cigarettes in Bolivia witnessed a notable surge in the presence of smuggled brands. These products, previously predominant in provinces and rural areas, made significant inroads into urban markets, particularly in kiosks, popular markets,…

Despite continuously rising prices, cigarettes in Croatia saw a further increase in retail volume sales in 2023, albeit a moderate upturn and significantly slower than in 2021 and 2022. Croatia is one of the rare EU markets that is seemingly showing…

Cigarettes saw volume sales fall significantly in Ecuador in 2023. The illicit market continued to deepen its penetration within the Ecuadorian market during the year. The high tax levied on the legal industry has caused a substantial price gap…

Demand for cigarettes in Australia continued to decline in 2023. The country has one of the lowest smoking rates in the OECD, with just 10% of people over the age of 15 years being daily smokers, in contrast to the OECD average of 16%. Incidence…

In 2023, retail volume sales of cigarettes in China maintained negligible growth. Cigarettes in China is strictly regulated by The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA). In recent years, cigarette production remained relatively stable. With…

In 2023, cigarettes in Estonia witnessed another year of retail volume sales decline. The downward trajectory is partly due to consumers becoming more conscious of health and therefore likely to quit the habit. However, the major reason for the fall…

Cigarettes in Japan continued to decline in retail volume terms in 2023, marking the 11th consecutive year of decline. Cigarettes is still the largest tobacco category in Japan, accounting for over half of value sales; however, the decreasing…

Tobacco in Hungary saw a decline in volume terms overall in 2023, attributed to several and various factors. Despite price hikes that remained below the annual inflation rate, the market's largest segments struggled to stem the fall. Volume sales of…

Tobacco in Singapore saw a retail volume decline in 2023, although current value sales increased. Retail volume sales of cigarettes continued to decrease, with mid-priced cigarettes suffering the most significant fall in sales. Meanwhile, the economy…

Retail volume and current value sales of cigarettes declined in 2023, maintaining the trend seen in 2022. Nevertheless, cigarettes still constitute a large proportion of sales in the overall tobacco industry. Whilst cigarettes experienced a negative…

Cigarettes in Italy continued to decline in volume terms in 2023, as the number of cigarette smokers diminish. At the same time, the rising tax on cigarettes is pushing up prices, supporting value sales but also acting as a deterrent to cigarette…

Faced with legislative pressure to raise prices and with the growth of the illicit market in Mexico, category leaders such as British American Tobacco opted to expand their portfolios through the addition of lower-priced products to their brand…

Consumption and sales of cigarettes in Saudia Arabia in 2023 remained severely impacted by the growing consumer shift from cigarettes to e-vapour products and heated tobacco. The number of consumers quitting smoking cigarettes has been increasing,…

The market for cigarettes in Thailand exhibited a decline in volume terms in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than in 2022. Besides the impact of ongoing economic uncertainty, performance continued to be negatively affected by the impact of excise tax…

Cigarette sales in the Philippines continued to see deep declines in both volume and current value terms in 2023, in a trend that is accelerating in 2024 as manufacturers struggle to generate domestic demand through retail. Beyond the inflationary…

In 2023, cigarettes continued to record positive total volume growth in Vietnam despite the economy encountering difficulties during the year. Smoking has become deeply ingrained in the daily routines and habits of many people in Vietnam. Even in the…

There was a slight increase in volume sales in cigarettes in Algeria in 2023, mainly due to population growth, with smoking prevalence falling slightly, particularly among men. Consistent tax increases over the review period dampened volume sales…

In 2023, amidst persistent inflationary pressures, consumer preferences in the area of cigarettes underwent a notable transformation in Cameroon. Affordability emerged as a paramount concern, prompting a discernible shift towards economically priced…

The market for cigarettes in Egypt witnessed a decline in volume terms in 2023, within a context of continuing economic uncertainty. Multiple devaluations of the Egyptian pound and a lack of foreign currency made it more difficult for tobacco…

In 2023, the Irish cigarette market continued to decline, with volume sales dropping fast. Many factors contributed to this double-digit decline – the high cost of living and rising tobacco product taxes are two of the main causes. Ireland is…

Cigarettes experienced significant value growth in Spain in 2023. The increase in value sales was driven by inflation and an increase in unit prices. However, even though value sales increased, volume sales registered a decline, largely due to the…

Cigarettes saw a significant increase in volume sales in Israel in 2023. The outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023 led to an increase in smoking, with more than one survey seeing a notable increase in the frequency of smoking amongst…

Cigarettes only managed sub-decimal growth in volume terms in Kenya in 2023, while value is better supported by price hikes. One key reason for the low volume performance is because the tobacco industry in Kenya faces significant challenges stemming…