UK
Cigarette sales will remain at 6 trillion per year – 2 trillion in China alone – predicts British American Tobacco (BAT) in its global forecast released March 26.
Though seemingly in conflict, the numbers don’t necessarily clash with UN estimates of a 1.5% annual growth rate in the number of smokers. They estimated a jump from 1.1 billion in 1998 to 1.3 billion this year.
BAT’s chief executive Paul Adams believes individuals who smoke are smoking fewer and fewer cigarettes each year, which partially accounts for the lack of growth.
He is also concerned about the growth in the sales of smuggled cigarettes. “In many key markets, legal volumes have been affected as consumers move to illicit products,” according to Adams, quoted in Business Report.
At the same time, he was quick to note the opportunities presented by a growing customer base, adding that “the number of adults in the world over the age of 20 continues to grow.”
