Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic – June - July 2021

This is a continuation of our page on Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic and summarises the incidents reported during the months of June and July 2021. This page will be continuously updated as and when incidents related to the month of July are reported.

The Summary of Interference Reported as of 31st July 2021

Table 1 summarises the incidents reported since 13th March 2020, the date of initiation of Lock Down in Sri Lanka, the day we started monitoring Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Table 1: Summary of reported TII during COVID-19 Pandemic

Tobacco Company	Reported Countries	Number of Incidents
British American Tobacco (BAT)	South Africa, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Brazil, Kenya, Bangladesh, Croatia, Mexico, Nigeria, Honduras, Russia, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Greece, Canada, Italy, Ireland, Egypt, New Zealand, Philippines, Belarus, Belgium, Australia, Iran	146
Philip Morris International (PMI)	Brazil, Costa Rica, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Canada, Burkina Faso, Denmark, Pennsylvania	66
Altria group	United Sates of America (USA), Canada, Switzerland	64
Japan Tobacco International (JTI)	United Kingdom (UK), Bangladesh, Turkey, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Zambia, Japan, Romania, Germany, Cambodia, Greece, Iran	53
Imperial Tobacco	Russia, Egypt, Ukraine	31
ITC Limited India	India	48
Korea Tobacco Ginseng Corporation (KT&G)	Indonesia, Turkey, Russia	6
Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)	Sri Lanka	9
Reynolds American	United Sates of America (USA)	5
Universal Cooperion	United Sates of America (USA)	2
VMR Products	United Sates of America (USA)	2
RJ Reynolds Tobacco	United Sates of America (USA)	4
Godfrey Phillips India	India	3
DJarum	Indonesia	2
PT HM Sampoerna	Indonesia	1
Hongyunhonghe Tobacco (Group)	-	2
7 HILLS Manikchand Products Private Limited	India	2
Deccan Tobacco	India	1
Vinataba Tobacco Company	Vietnam	1
International Tobacco Company	Nigeria	1
LT Group	Philippines	1
China Tobacco	China	2
Gamucci	United Kingdom, United States of America (USA), Asia and Africa	1
JUUL Labs	United States of America (USA)	5
Swedish Match	Sweden	1
Gold Leaf Tobacco Corporation	South Africa	1
Barco Trading Company	Angola	1
Pan Africa Tobacco Group	Angola	1
Company not specified or interference via Front Groups	United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Australia, Lebanon, Senegal, Sri Lanka, France, Myanmar, India, Chile, South Africa, Kenya, Bhutan, Philippines, Greece	40

Week 64: 31st May - 6th June 2021

• Media reported that North Carolina Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx of the House of Representatives in the United States, purchased stocks from Altria Group worth of USD 210,000 in 2020 and 2021. Altria Group has invested nearly USD 1.8 billion in Cronos group which is a cannabis producer based in Canada. Media further reported that two Republicans including Foxx are among the top cannabis investors and 14 House members have invested in cannabis as at present.
• ITC Limited India, the main tobacco company in India, which had diversified their business into other ventures, was highlighted frequently in media this week as mentioned below:
  • ITC Hotels introduced a home food delivery service with ‘cured Feel-Good menu’ on World Environment Day targeting people working from home.
  • ITC Limited India declared that the net profit of the 4th quarter of 2021 was Rs 3,755 Crore, which was 3% reduction compared to 2020. Further, British American Tobacco (BAT) stated it expects a decline in revenue from cigarettes due to continuous spread of COVID-19 in India. It holds nearly 30% of ITC Limited India shares. Contradictory to the aforementioned news items, Credit Suisse, a global investment bank and financial services firm based in Switzerland, declared that the cigarette sale volumes of ITC Limited India reached pre-COVID levels. It further reported that the majority switched to work from home mode resulting in restricted mobility, which resulted in the decline in the volumes previously.
  • ITC’s dairy product brand Ashirvaad Svasti, introduced a ‘RaiseAGlassOfMilk’ Initiative on World Milk Day claiming that milk is boosting immunity (Image 1). A few days later a new yogurt product was introduced under the same dairy brand.

Image 1: Media reporting ITC’s ‘RaiseAGlassOfMilk’ Initiative to boost the immunity

• PJ Carrol, British American Tobacco (BAT) in Ireland, accused that “inaction” of tobacco regulating authorities following the ban on menthol cigarettes led to the growth of new ‘menthol substitute’ products in the Ireland market, according to Irish Times. The news report claims that certain tobacco companies sell more of their new ‘menthol substitute’ products than they did prior to the ban.
• Media reported that the Japan Tobacco International (JTI) will be the strategic partner of the InvestGR 2021 Forum that was to be held on 14th July 2021 in Greece. Public Affairs and Networks, a consultancy firm providing services to multinational and local large companies, organised this forum under the theme of ‘Reforming the Greek Economy’.
• British American Tobacco (BAT) declared that the increase of users of vaping, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches, was up to 1.4 million during the first quarter of 2021. BAT targets to increase this figure to 50 million by the year 2025. They further mentioned that the revenue from non-combustible products represents around 10% of the total revenue of the company.
• A research titled ‘Chemical characterization of tobacco-free "modern" oral nicotine pouches and their position on the toxicant and risk continuums’, conducted by British American Tobacco (BAT) scientists, declared that potential harmful components are “absent or very low” in them compared to other tobacco products. Tobacco industry is known to generate false scientific evidence and distort evidence to further their business interests.
• British American Tobacco (BAT) was highlighted in media due to receiving two awards this week:
  • British American Tobacco (BAT) was awarded the “Climate Leaders 2021” award by the Financial Times, reportedly due to achievements in protecting environment from negative impacts including reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon neutral status of their products. Plethora of evidence have revealed that cigarettes and its manufacturing process negatively impact the environment including global warming and, thus, the human health.
  • Employers’ Excellence Awards of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has awarded British American Tobacco (BAT) in Nigeria under food, beverage and tobacco category. NECA is claimed to be ‘the umbrella organization of employers in the organised private sector of Nigeria’ and this award reportedly aims to recognise and acknowledge the contribution to the national development through maintaining enterprise competitiveness and productivity.
• Industrial Development Authority in Egypt issued an amendment for the licensing bid invitation of cigarette manufacturing. This amendment followed a complaint by four tobacco companies (Nakhla Tobacco Co, Imperial Tobacco, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Al-Mansour International Distribution) in March, saying that it limits the advantages to the winning company because of its narrow terms. The new amendment requires the license holding company to produce 1 billion cigarettes per year instead of 15 billion, and will reportedly end the “decades-old monopoly” of the state-controlled tobacco company, Eastern Company S. E. A (EC) which has a 70% of the market share.
• The Supreme Court of Ukraine decided that the imposition of Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) 460 million fine to Imperial Tobacco for violating anti-competitive actions on cigarettes manufacturing and distributing as “unnecessary”. The fine was imposed by the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) in October 2019 to tobacco manufactures including British American Tobacco (BAT), Imperial tobacco, Japan Tobacco International (JTI), Philip Morris International (PMI) and TEDIS Ukraine. The fine against BAT and TEDIS were similarly cancelled by the courts. According to media reports, Imperial tobacco has paid the full amount of the fine in 2020.
• Poda Lifestyle and wellness Ltd, a heated tobacco products (HTP) manufacturer in Canada, announced an agreement with Shenzhen Eson Technology Ltd (ESON) to distribute their products in Europe and Asia. ESON distributes its own patented range of tobacco-free products with a considerable market share in China. PODA reportedly plans to use its network to establish their HTPs in China.
• In South Africa, British American Tobacco (BAT) got accused by The Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA) for selling (and free distribution at some outlets) cell phone airtime vouchers with tobacco products. As reported by media, it was a violation of the Tobacco Act in South Africa and liable to Rand 1 million fine. It further mentioned that the retailers have also violated the packaging regulations due to sale of cigarettes in loose form.
• Media reported that British American Tobacco (BAT) is under investigation of the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), the marketing and advertising authority in Italy, for “covert advertising” using local celebrities via social media. ‘Glo Hyper’, the heated tobacco device of BAT, was promoted in that manner without textual or graphical warnings as claimed by the AGCM.
• Market research institutes issued several reports on COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry this week. Details of two reports mentioning COVID 19 in the title are summarised in the Table 2.

Table 2: Summary of published market research reports during the week 64

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
The Market Insights	Global Tobacco Additives Market Size By Application, By End-Use, By Product Research Report, Price Trends, Growth Development, Regional Segmentation, Competitive Industry Share and Forecasts to 2021-2027 with COVID-19 Impact Analysis	Liggett Group, Inc., American electronic cigarette company, British American Tobacco, Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation, Imperial Brands, VMR Products, China tobacco, Philip Morris International, Altria, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Brown and Williamson, Japan Tobacco
Market Insights Reports	2020-2025 Global Roll-your-own Cigarette (MYO) Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	Japan Tobacco Inc., Imperial Brands, PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL, British American Tobacco, Altria Group Inc.

Week 65: 7th– 13th June 2021

• TA Securities, a licensed stockbroking company in Malaysia, stated that British American Tobacco (BAT) Malaysia is “better prepared” for lockdowns. This statement followed the Prime Minister’s four-phased plan with movement control in order to eliminate COVID-19 in Malaysia.

• British American Tobacco (BAT) published the Science & Innovation Report 2020-2021 highlighting the latest research on new products and their research.
• The state-owned national newspaper in Sri Lanka reported that the Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) reportedly obtained Phase 1 certification for Integrated Work Systems (IWS), a business transformation model that enables improvement of performance.
• Convenience Store News announced a partnership with Altria Group to introduce a new digital and print platform to “To facilitate engagement in diversity, equity and inclusion among all convenience store industry stakeholders”. According to the same media report, an advisory board was established with the representatives from thecompanies that have women leadership and improved diversity as the first step of this initiative. Convenience Store News is a publication agency comprising magazines, websites and digital newsletters that conducts market research and provides analyses and insights.
• ITC Hotels are planning to expand the number of “Welcomhotels’ from 19 to 25 within the next 12 months, reportedly aiming to develop the local tourism that declined because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ITC hotels are owned by ITC Limited India, the main tobacco company in India, which diversified their business into other ventures. ITC hotels are also a part of the initiative named “staycation” aiming to promote the same among the local travellers.
• ITC Savlon newly launched a hand wash named “Savlon Pichkiao”. ITC Savlon is one of the businesses under the ITC Limited India, the main tobacco company in India (Image 2).

Image 2: Media reporting the ITC Savlon lunching the new hand wash product.

• ITC Limited India announced a 16% growth of revenue in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) business except cigarettes, while other groups of businesses recorded an average of 8-9% in the financial year 2020-2021.
• Sri Lanka Investment Forum 2021, held virtually from 7th to 9th June 2021, was organised by the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Colombo Stock Exchange. As media reported, more than 4,500 local and foreign participants including Diplomats and global experts participated in this three-day event. Suresh Shah, the chairman of Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) was featured as a speaker/panellist in the forum.
• Market research institutes issued several reports on COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry this week. Six reports mentioning COVID 19 in the title are summarised in the Table 3.

Table 3: Summary of published market research reports during week 65

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
Zeal Insider	Cigars And Cigarillos Market Share by Manufacturer (Altria Group, Inc., British American Tobacco., Drew Estate LLC., Habanos S.A.) - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Premium, Mass), Category (Cigar, Cigarillo, Little Cigar) to 2028	Altria Group Inc., British American Tobacco., Drew Estate LLC., Habanos S.A., Imperial Brands Plc., Oettinger Davidoff AG., Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S., Swedish Match AB., Swisher International Inc., Trendsettah USA Inc
Orbis Research	Tobaccos market 2021-2028: In-depth COVID-19 Analysis, Top Brands, Emerging Growth Drivers and Forecasts	Altria Group Inc., Austria Tabak Gmbh, British American Tobacco, Gallaher Limited, Imperial Brands, ITC Limited, Japan Tobacco Inc., Philip Morris Products S.A., Reemtsma Cigarettenfabriken Gmbh, Reynolds American Inc
Research Reports World	2020-2025 Global Dipping Tobacco Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Japan Tobacco, Inc. (JT), Dharampal Satyapal Group, Swedish Match, American Snuff Co, Manikchand Group, Pinkerton Tobacco, British American Tobacco PLC (BAT), Imperial Tobacco Group, Kayak Outdoors, JMJ Group, Altria Group, Inc., Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), Swisher International, Inc.
ARS Reports Store	COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Vending Machine Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020	GLORY LTD, Royal Vendors, U-Select IT, SANDEN Corporation, Daito Co., Ltd, Unicum, Fuji Electric Co, OKAZAKI SANGYO CO.,LTD, Sielaff GmbH & Co Automatenbau, Crane Merchandising Systems, Kubota Corporation, Aequator, Northwestern, Spengler GMBH & Co KG, Jofemar sa, TAKAMISAWA CYBERNETIC, Westomatic Vending Services Ltd, Dixie-Narco, Sanden International (Europe) Ltd, Azkoyen S.A., FUSHIBINGSHAN, N&W Global Vending Group, Japan Tobacco Inc, SHIBAURA VENDING MACHINE CORPORATION, Automatic Products, Deutsche Wurlitzer GmbH, Beaver Machine, Fujitaka Corporation, Fas International Spa, Rheavendors
Market Research Outlet	THP Cigarettes and E Cigarettes Market with Covid-19 Impact Industry Analysis by Manufacturers, End-User, Type, Application, Regions, Recent Trends, Size, Share, Growth and Forecasts to 2021 to 2027	BAT, Japan Tobacco International., Philip Morris International., Njoy, JUUL, MarkTen, Imperial Tobacco, Altria Group, RJR Vapor, 21st Century, Buddy Group, FirstUnion, Hangsen, Kimree, KT&G, HONG KONG IVPS INTERNATIONAL
Reportspedia	2020-2025 Global E-Cigarette Devices Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Imperial Brands plc, Japan Tobacco Inc., FIN Branding Group LLC., British American Tobacco plc, Philip Morris International Inc., International Vapor Group, JUUL Labs, Inc, Vapor Hub International Inc., NJOY Inc., Altria Group Inc., VMR Products LLC

Week 66: 14th – 20th June 2021

• Media reported that RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, subsidiary of British American Tobacco (BAT), plans to increase the price of cigarettes by 14 -22 cents per a pack depending on the brand on 5th July 2021 in the United States. This is the third time the price was increased for the year 2021(past two increases were reported on 5th April and 28th January).
• A study conducted by a group of researchers funded by British American Tobacco (BAT) reportedly revealed that the adverse effects of smoking could be circumvented by switching to vaping products. Tobacco industry is known to interfere with the scientific evidence by generating evidence favourable to them through sponsoring research.
• According to United States media, Btomorrow Ventures (BTV), the cooperate venturing arm of British American Tobacco (BAT) financially sponsored Trait Biosciences, a cannabis biotechnological company based in United States. According to the reports, this funding aimed to commercialise the water-soluble Cannabinoid technology.
• Drug and Chemical Toxicology, published a study reportedly concluding that modern oral nicotine pouches of British American Tobacco (BAT) have lower levels of toxic substance compared to cigarettes, and is “nearly similar” to Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). According to Dr. David O’Reilly, Director of Scientific Research, BAT hopes this paper will be used by public health authorities as a “resource” Tobacco industry is known for producing their own science in order to influence and manipulate public health policies related to tobacco control.
• Philip Morris International (PMI) announced that they had decided to discontinue their sponsorship for Ferrari car team and remove their ‘Mission Winnow’ logo because of the tobacco control advocates’ campaign against it. Reportedly this created a ‘distrust’ related to tobacco industry for violating the ban of tobacco advertising in the motorsports. Though it was reported that the McLaren removed their sponsorship with British American Tobacco (BAT), too, their official website featured BAT as a partner as of June 2021.
• Zacks Equity Research revealed that the Altria Group is planning to extend its portfolio to include reduced risk products (RRPs), tobacco-derived nicotine (TDN) products and cannabis industry. It further mentioned that there is a continuous reduction of cigarette sales and domestic shipment volumes compared to 2020.
• Simple Wall St, a market analysis website, reported that Jayant Awasthi, the General Manager of the ITC Limited India, purchased ITC shares worth of Indian Rupees 63 million. It further stated that Awasthi made the largest purchase as an insider for the last 2 year-period.
• Media reported that the ITC Hotels offered a home delivery food service with special menus celebrating Fathers’ Day. ITC hotels are owned by ITC Limited India, the tobacco company which diversified their business into other ventures.
• ITC Limited India made a donation of essential food and other personal care relief to old age homes, orphanages and affected families via Cyberabad Metropolitan Police. In India, Police officers are one of the stakeholders to implement Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
• ICAR-Indian Soybean Research Institute, the national institute engaged in soybean research and development, partnered with ITC Limited India in organising an online training programme titled "Improved Soybean Production Technology and New Innovative Practices of soybean Production". Over 550 farmers and field officers, engaged in ITC E-Choupal programme, reportedly participated in this event. E-Choupal is an initiative of ITC to engage rural farmers of India.
• Cronos Group, announced that they have entered an agreement with PharmaCann, a cannabis company based in United States, to obtain ownership of 10.5% of stakes for USD 110.4 million (Image 3). Cronos Group is a Canadian cannabis producer backed by the Altria group with an investment of nearly USD 1.8 billion.

Image 3: Media reporting Cronos Group purchasing option to own the PharmaCann stakes

• This week, market research institutes issued one report mentioning COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry in the title. The report is summarised in the Table 4.

Table 4: Summary of published market research reports during week 66

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
Market Insights Reports	Cigarettes, Cigars And Cigarillos Global Market Report 2020-30: Covid 19 Impact And Recovery	Altria Group Inc; Imperial Brands; Habanos S A; Swisher International Inc; British American Tobacco

Week 67: 21st – 27th June 2021

• Roy Manalili, General Manager of Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Cambodia, said in an interview answering a question by the interviewer on tobacco regulations in Cambodia, that they contribute to the government of Cambodia by paying tax, generating jobs and helping local businesses. He further stated that they help to regulate the illicit trade by supplying necessary information and programmes. Tobacco industry is known to exaggerate their impact on economy while ignoring the harm they inflict on the economy through premature deaths and diseases.
• New Zealand media reported that the dairy owners, reportedly acting as a tobacco industry front group, protested against the government’s decision on limiting tobacco selling points. Media further reported that a postcard with more than 100 signatures was handed over to Brooke van Velden, Deputy Leader of ACT Party by the British American Tobacco (BAT) on the same issue. .
• JUUL labs and affiliated companies got sued by the Berkeley County School District against increased use of e-cigarettes and nicotine addiction among teenagers. Altria Group is also named a defendant of the lawsuit because of its investment on JUUL Labs. Previously, Charleston, Anderson, Greenville and Pickens counties in South Carolina filed similar lawsuits against the marketing and advertising strategies of JUUL, claiming they specifically targeted the teenagers.
• Philip Morris International (PMI) announced that they plan to move its headquarters from New York to Connecticut State in USA (Image 4). Media reported that the Governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont signed a law (the legislation was passed a week ago) to leagalise marijuana use in Connecticut on the same day of making this announcement.

Image 4: PMI moving to Connecticut reported by media

• Media reported that ITC Master Chef programme conducted a two-day online cooking workshop for free with the participation of celebrity chefs. ITC Master Chef is a brand name under the food category of the ITC Limited India products portfolio.
• Hemanth Malik, Divisional Chief Executive, Food Business of ITC Limited India, delivered the keynote speech at the e4m eTechmanch conference, organised by Exchange 4 Media, held on 24th and 25th June 2021 virtually. He stated that introduction of the immunity juice was a response to the “social listening” at the initiation of COVID-19 pandemic. Exchange 4 Media (e4m) is a publication agency for marketing, advertising and media professionals as stated in their website.
• Do Your Thing (DYT), a content creating website for brand promotion, partnered with ITC Limited India to promote their three brands: Savlon, Charmis, and Gynoveda. Savlon brand includes hand sanitizers, hand wash, disinfectant sprays and FFP2 S masks. DYT campaign reportedly focused on Instagram posts, Reels (new Instagram feature to create 15-second video clips set to music and share) and YouTube videos with famous influencers.
• The CSR Journal reported that the ITC Limited India is within the five largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies investing in Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in India. It further highlighted the CSR activities of ITC during COVID-19 pandemic including supplying of medical Oxygen.
• This week, market research institutes issued 14 reports mentioning COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry in the title. The reports are summarised in the Table 5.

Table 5: Summary of published market research reports during week 67

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Pipe Tobacco Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco Group, Snuff, ITC Group, Universal Corporation, Dipping tobacco
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Vaping Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco, Nicquid;, International Vapor Group, JUUL Labs, Inc., R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, Altria Group, Inc., Philip Morris International, Inc., NicQuid, Imperial Brands
A2Z Market Research	2021-2027 Global Vape Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Japan Tobacco, Vapor, RRR Chemicals, ECIG, British American Tobacco (BAT), Imperial Brands, Nicotek, Altria Group, Gamucci, Ballantyne Brands, Reynolds American, VMR Products, White Cloud, CB Distributors, NJOY.
Market Insights Reports	2020-2025 Global Cigarette Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	JMJ Group, Dharampal Satyapal, British American Tobacco, Gudang Garam Tbk, Swedish Match, Manikchand Group, Swisher Internationa, KT&G Group, Imperial Tobacco, China National Tobacco Corporation, Japan Tobacco, ITC, Altria Group, RAI
Research and Markets	Global E-Cigarettes and Vapor Products Market: Size & Forecast with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 (2021-2025)	Imperial Brands, British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International (PMI), Altria Group
Market Insights Reports	2020-2025 Global E Cigarettes Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	MCig, Inc, Vapor Corp, China National Tobacco Corporation, Altria Group, Bull Smoke, Japan Tobacco, Inc., Cloudcig, ITC, Gamucci, Reynolds American Inc., Philip Morris International, Lorillard, Imperial Tobacco Group PLC
HTF Market Intelligence	2020-2025 Global Heat-not-burn Tobacco Product (HNB) Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Nicotek, Ballantyne Brands, KangerTech, Joyetech Co, Johnson Creek, MCIG, Altria Group, JUUL Labs, Japan Tobacco International, CB Distributors, NJOY, Imperial Brands, Gilla, Philip Morris International, PAX Labs, RR Chemicals, ECIG, International Vapor Group, British American Tobacco & Gamucci
HTF Market Intelligence	COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Tobacco Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020	Reynolds American Inc., Japan Tobacco, Altria, Universal Corp, Imperial Tobacco, Hongyunhonghe Tobacco (Group) Co., China National Tobacco Co., British American Tobacco & Philip Morris International Inc..
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Roll-Your-Own-Tobacco Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	Altria Group Inc., British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco Inc., McGahey The Tobacconist, PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INC.
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Dissolvable Tobacco Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	Reynolds American, Altria Group, British American Tobacco PLC, Japan Tobacco, Manikchand Group, Swisher International, Swedish Match, Imperial Tobacco Group, Dharampal Satyapal Group, JMJ Group
HTF Market Intelligence	COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Premium Cigar Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020	Swisher International Inc., Drew Estate LLC, Oettinger Davidoff AG., Agio Cigars, Imperial Brands, Swedish Match AB, Gurkha Cigar Group, Altria Group Inc., Trendsettah USA Inc., Habanos S.A., British American Tobacco & Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S.
HTF Market Intelligence	2020-2025 Global Heat-not-burn Tobacco Product (HNB) Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Nicotek, Ballantyne Brands, KangerTech, Joyetech Co, Johnson Creek, MCIG, Altria Group, JUUL Labs, Japan Tobacco International, CB Distributors, NJOY, Imperial Brands, Gilla, Philip Morris International, PAX Labs, RR Chemicals, ECIG, International Vapor Group, British American Tobacco & Gamucci.
Credible Markets	Global Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) Market Research Report With Opportunities And Strategies To Boost Growth- COVID-19 Impact And Recovery	Imperial Brands, Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation, British American Tobacco, Altria, Philip Morris International, American electronic cigarette company, China tobacco, VMR Products, Japan Tobacco
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Disposable E-Cigarettes Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	NicQuid, Altria Group, Japan Tobacco, Shenzhen KangerTech Technology, Shenzhen IVPS Technology, Imperial Brands, British American Tobacco, International Vapor Group, MOJOUS, Philip Morris International

Week 68: 28th June - 4th July 2021

• Japan Tobacco International (JTI) reported that cigarette sales reduced by 16.3% in Japan, stating the reason that more users switching to heat-not-burn products (HTP) due to the fear of COVID-19. The same report, ironically, included a description of their plan to popularise HTPs.
• In their mid-year report British American Tobacco (BAT) claimed that cigarette sales volume in South Africa is “recovering” from the lockdowns and the cigarette sale ban during the pandemic.
• In Philippine, The Court of Tax Appeal rejected the petition filed by the British American Tobacco (BAT) in 2017 seeking a refund of excise tax. BAT stopped its operations in Philippines in 2017 with a failed attempt in purchasing Mighty Corporation, a local tobacco company. The petition was filed requesting the Bureau of Internal Revenue to refund the Philippine Peso 305.82 million paid in advance as the excise tax for the year 2017 .
• JUUL Labs has agreed to pay USD 40 million to the State of North Carolina to settle the lawsuit against them on targeting youth specifically in products marketing (Image 5).

Image 5: Media reporting the JUUL Labs agreeing to pay USD 40 million to settle the lawsuit

• Media reported that Altria has sent a letter to US Food and Drug Administration on 25th February 2021 requesting to “clarify that nicotine doesn’t cause cancer”. This was following a US national survey in 2020 published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine which reporting related perceptions among Physicians. This may probably be to safeguard their shift to nicotine products in the context of decreasing popularity of cigarettes.
• ITC Hotels have introduced special offers for medical professionals who stayed at the hotels celebrating National Doctor’s Day. It is reportedly to show gratitude for the contribution and dedication of medical workers during the pandemic. ITC hotels are owned by ITC Limited India, the main tobacco company in India which diversified their business into other ventures.
• British American Tobacco (BAT) reportedly redesigned the careers’ website to attract “talented candidates” for their vacancies.
• A British American Tobacco (BAT) media statement declared that BAT is facing difficulties due to the sanctions imposed on Belarus by The European Union, the United States, Britain and Canada. Tobacco is one of the main exports in Belarus. The BAT statement claimed that BAT Belarus would comply with the “company’s code of conduct, while an external auditor would examine working conditions” of its state-owned supplier GTF Neman.
• In Belgium, British American Tobacco (BAT) partnered with Tomorrowland, a Belgium dance and music festival, and the logo of Tomorrowland will be displayed on McLaren racing cars on the spot where BAT’s logo was earlier displayed.
• The journal Internal and Emergency Medicine published a study concluding that smokers shifting from cigarettes to ‘Glo’, heating tobacco product of British American Tobacco (BAT), has low exposure to selected toxic substances. The researchers thus claimed that it will reduce the potential in developing smoking related diseases. The study was conducted by a group of researchers affiliated to BAT (Investment) Limited and R J Reynolds Tobacco Company, funded by BAT. Tobacco industry is known for producing its own “evidence” to manipulate the science and related public health policies.
• Market research institutes issued several reports on COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry this week. Details of six reports mentioning COVID 19 in the title are summarised in the Table 6.

Table 6: Summary of published market research reports during the week 68

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
Global Markerters.biz	Global Heat-not-burn Tobacco Product (HNB) Market Report 2020 by Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast to 2026 (Based on 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)	Imperial Brands, NJOY, RR Chemicals, PAX Labs, MCIG, Gilla, Gamucci, Johnson Creek, ECIG, Japan Tobacco International, CB Distributors, JUUL Labs, International Vapor Group, KangerTech, Altria Group, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, Ballantyne Brands, Nicotek, Joyetech Co
Global Markerters.biz	Global Tobacco Packaging Market Report 2020 by Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast to 2026 (Based on 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)	Mondi, Sonoco, Innovia Films, Novelis, Bemis, Amcor, ITC, Packaging Corporation of America, Reynolds, British American Tobacco, Philips Morris International, Siegwerk, International Paper, Ball, WestRock
Research Reports World	United States E-cigarettes Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends with Impact of Covid-19 and Forecast by 2021-2024	Philip Morris International, Mig Vapor LLC, Japan Tobacco, Imperial Brands, British American Tobacco PLC (Reynolds American INC. (RAI)), NJOY, Intellicig INC
Market Data Analytics	Global Electronic Cigarette and Tobacco Vapor Market 2021 By Product, By Application, By Geographic Scope, Market Size, Competitive Landscape and Forecast 2028 (Impact of COVID-19)	Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco PLC, Japan Tobacco Inc., Imperial Brands plc, MCIG Inc, JUUL Labs, Altria Group Inc., NJOY, LLC, Turning Point Brands
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Tobacco Products Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	Republic Group Al Matuco Tobacco Company, British American Tobacco, Century Tobacco, Gulbahar Tobacco, ARD Filters, Kaane American International Tobacco, Gallaher Group Plc, Reynolds, China National Tobacco Corporation, Japan Tobacco Inc., Imperial Tobacco, Altria Group Inc, BMJ Industries, Alliance One International, Oriental, Universal Corporation, Altria, Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation, Philip Morris International Inc.
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	Imperial Brands, British American Tobacco, American electronic cigarette company, Altria, Japan Tobacco, China tobacco, Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation, Philip Morris International, VMR Products

Week 69: 5th– 11th July 2021

• Media reported that the Philippine’s Bureau of Customs destroyed 1,804 cases of illicit cigarettes worth of Peso 90 million at Taiheiyo Cement Corporation plant. Representatives of Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation was also present, reportedly to ‘personally witness the destruction of illicit cigarettes’. The destroyed cigarettes were said to have been transported from China in two shipments.
• Express, a news website in UK, revealed that Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has made around 91.65 million profits from ‘menthol replacement cigarettes’ amidst the menthol ban in May 2020.
• Iran Headquarters for Combating the Smuggling of Commodities and Foreign Exchange announced that 90% of cigarettes in the market were produced domestically and only around 10% was illicit. Media further reported that more than 60% of production is by British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI), quoting the data published by the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade.
• Philip Morris International (PMI) sold 18,000 acres of Mountain Ranch, which they have been previously using to promote the ‘Marlboro’ cigarettes (Image 6). The ranch consisting saloons, spas and hotel rooms was sold to Lone Mountain Land Company.

Image 6: Media reporting the selling of Mountain Ranch by the PMI.

• JUUL Labs submitted a 125,000 paged application to US Food and Drug Administration asking approval to continue marketing of its products (e-cigarettes) in USA. Altria Group invested USD 12.8 billion on JUUL in December 2018, owning 35% of its stake. According to media, Juul Labs has reportedly paid $51,000 to publish company-friendly evidence mentioning that JUUL products help to quit smoking cigarettes in May/June issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior.
• ITC Limited India partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation based in Bengaluru, to introduce “ITC CARE Basket” programme to supply essential goods for families in selected states in India, including Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad.
• British American Tobacco (BAT) South Africa requested to raise the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes up to Rand 28, stating the reason as the need to curtail illicit trade. This request followed a published Institut de Publique Sondage d'Opinion Secteur (IPSOS) survey commissioned by the BAT. The survey reportedly revealed that 41% of retailers sell a pack of 20 cigarettes at or below the price of Rand 21.60, a price lower than the minimum taxed price. Increase of illicit trade was further highlighted by media quoting the survey results.
• Gold Leaf Tobacco Corporation, a cigarette manufacturer in South Africa rejected an allegation of illicit trade against them highlighting their tax contribution as Rand 200 million per month. Tobacco companies are known for their involvement in the illicit trade in many parts of the world. Please visit our page Ceylon Tobacco Misleading Shareholders: The Illicit Cigarettes Issue for more details.
• British American Tobacco (BAT) New Zealand introduced an age verification procedure to online purchasing of vaping products for all online retailers.
• Market research institutes issued several reports on COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry this week. Seven reports mentioning COVID 19 in the title are summarised in the Table 7.

Table 7: Summary of published market research reports during week 69

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
Big Market Research	Global Tobacco and Hookah Market Report 2020 by Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast to 2026 (Based on 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)	China National Tobacco Co., Starbuzz Hookahs, Evolution Hookahs, Imperial Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Altria, British American Tobacco, Regal Hookahs, Mya Hookah, Japan Tobacco, Anahi Hookahs.
Credible Markets	Global Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) Market Research Report With Opportunities And Strategies To Boost Growth- COVID-19 Impact And Recovery	Imperial Brands, Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation, British American Tobacco, Altria, Philip Morris International, American electronic cigarette company, China tobacco, VMR Products, Japan Tobacco
A2Z Market Research	2021-2027 Global Homogenized Tobacco Leaf (HTL) Cigars Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	British American Tobacco, Dosal, Altria, Swedish Match, Vector Group
Research MOZ	Global Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Products Market Report 2021 By Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast To 2027 (Based On 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)	GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Cipla Ltd., Pfizer Inc., Imperial Brands PLC, NJOY LLC, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, McNeil AB, Revolymer PLC, Novartis International AG, Japan Tobacco Inc., Johnson & Johnson
The Research Intelligence	U.S. e-cigarette & vape Market Covid-19 Impact Analysis, Growth and Forecast 2021-2027	Imperial Tobacco, Reynolds American, Japan Tobacco Inc., Altria Group, VMR Product, Njoy, 21st Century, Vaporcorp, Truvape, Shenzhen First Union Technology Co., Ltd., BUDDY, Guangdong Jeray Technology Group Co., Ltd., Innokin, Smoore, SMOK, Hangsen Group
HTF Market Intelligence	COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Pipe Tobacco Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020	Imperial Tobacco Group, Snuff, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Dipping tobacco, Chewing tobacco, British American Tobacco, JT International & R.J. Reynolds
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global E-Cigarette And Vape Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	Shenzhen KangerTech Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co., Ltd., Imperial Brands, British American Tobacco, NicQuid, International Vapor Group, Japan Tobacco, International, Philip Morris International Inc., R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, Altria Group, Inc.

Week 70: 12th – 18th July 2021

• Japan Tobacco International (JTI) launched a new heated tobacco device in Japan named ‘Ploom X’.
• Media reported that ITC Limited India expanded their food brands of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) business to over 50 countries including UK, USA, Canada and Australia amidst the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
• Altria Group announced that they are selling the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm based in New York.
• Media reported that Philip Morris International (PMI) is planning to purchase Vectura, a pharmaceutical company based in UK that develops inhaled therapies (Image 7). The investment of £1.05 billion is reportedly to produce a range of respiratory therapies. Tobacco control advocates and public health groups including The American Lung Association and American Thoracic Society opposed to this deal, protesting a tobacco company’s engagement with a manufacturer of inhalation technologies in the pharmaceutical sector.

Image 7: Media reporting PMI’s plan to purchase Vectura.

• Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC), a joint venture between Fortune Tobacco Company (FTC) and Philip Morris International (PMI) in Philippines announced that they are expanding online sales in Philippines in their initiative to replace cigarettes with heat not burn products .
• ITC Limited India announced a plan to expand their food products through e-store delivery service across 14 cities which was active in 7 cities during COVID-19 pandemic. Media reported that the gross revenue of ITC Limited India was Rs. 48,151.24 crore in the financial year 2021. Over 5% of revenue under the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) category (excluding cigarettes) was obtained via the online sales during the period. ITC e-store does not included the cigarette and related items for online sale.
• Philip Morris International (PMI) announced that they are purchasing Fertin Pharma, a Denmark-based company that produces pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products delivered via oral and intra-oral delivery systems.
• In Australia, media reported that companies are found liable for fines up to USD 11 million in relation to violation of vaping regulatory guidelines including flavorings. British American Tobacco (BAT) Australia publicly counter-argued saying flavored products should be available.

• This week, market research institutes issued five reports mentioning COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry in the title. The reports are summarised in the Table 8.

Table 8: Summary of published market research reports during week 70

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
Orbis Research	Tobaccos market 2021-2028: In-depth COVID-19 Analysis, Top Brands, Emerging Growth Drivers and Forecasts	Altria Group Inc., Austria Tabak Gmbh, British American Tobacco, Gallaher Limited, Imperial Brands, ITC Limited, Japan Tobacco Inc., Philip Morris Products S.A., Reemtsma Cigarettenfabriken Gmbh, Reynolds American Inc.
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global E Cigarettes Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	MCig, Inc, Vapor Corp, China National Tobacco Corporation, Altria Group, Bull Smoke, Japan Tobacco, Inc., Cloudcig, ITC, Gamucci, Reynolds American Inc., Philip Morris International, Lorillard, Imperial Tobacco Group PLC
Credible Markets	2020-2025 Global Natural Leaf Tobacco Market Report - Production And Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact Of COVID-19)	Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, CNT Group, Philip Morris International, Swedish Match, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Japan Tobacco International, Durfort Holdings SA, ITG Brands, LLC, Optimo, SuperLeaf, Swisher International
Report Linker	Smoking Cessation & Nicotine De-Addiction Product Market Research Report by Product, by Distribution, by Region - Global Forecast to 2026 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19	22nd Century Group, Inc., Axsome Therapeutics, Inc., British American Tobacco PLC, Cipla Ltd., Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Imperial Tobacco Company of India Limited, Japan Tobacco Inc., Johnson & Johnson, JUUL Labs Inc., NJOY, Inc., Novartis International AG, Perrigo Company PLC, Pfizer, Inc., Philip Morris International Inc., Revolymer PLC by Itaconix, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd..
HTF Market Intelligence	COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Electronic Cigarette and Tobacco Vapor Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020	MCIG Inc, Japan Tobacco Inc., JUUL Labs, British American Tobacco PLC, Philip Morris International, Altria Group Inc., Turning Point Brands, NJOY, LLC & Imperial Brands plc

Week 71: 19th – 25th July 2021

• Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Philip Morris International (PMI), stated their plan to shift to smokeless products from cigarettes in defence of the purchase of the Vectura Group, a UK-based pharmaceutical company (Image 8) by them.

Image 8: CEO of Philip Morris International (PMI) announcing the deal to purchase the Vectura Group.

• Japan Tobacco International (JTI) representative in Malaysia made a statement in relation to taxing nicotine based liquid products used in vaping. He stated that the amount of smuggled liquid is equivalent to 12.5 billion cigarettes and that threatens the “legal” tobacco industry.
• Media reported that the revenue from increased tobacco tax in Colorado was recorded over USD 34 million in the first five months of 2021. Tax for a pack of cigarettes increased to $ 1.94 from $ 0.84 in January 2021.
• Philip Morris International (PMI) partnered with Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association to enforce laws on illicit tobacco products. Reportedly, it was an educational programme to share the knowledge and expertise between the two organisations. Article 5.3 of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) recommends against governments having any partnership with the tobacco industry. Such partnerships have a fundamental irreconcilable conflict of interest with public health. Police is a clear major governmental stakeholder in tobacco control.
• British American Tobacco (BAT) is planning to introduce “steam products” under their portfolio, claiming those as an “evidence based low risk alternative” for cigarettes.
• The government of India is discussing divestment of its 7.93% stake in ITC Limited India, worth around INR 20,250 Crore to meet the disinvestment target for the year 2021. The government’s shares are currently held through the Special Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI).

• This week, market research institutes issued nine reports mentioning COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry in the title. The reports are summarised in the Table 9.

Table 9: Summary of published market research reports during week 71

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
MRA Reports	Cigars and Cigarillos Market Status And Trend Analysis 2017-2026 (COVID-19 Version)	Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S, British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Plc, Altria Group, Habanos S.A, Drew Estate LLC, Swisher International, Oettinger Davidoff AG, Swedish Match AB, Trendsettah USA
HTF Market Intelligence	COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Cigars and Cigarillos Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020	Swedish Match AB, Habanos S.A., Swisher International, Inc., Trendsettah USA, Inc., Imperial Brands, Oettinger Davidoff AG, Altria Group, Inc., Altadis, British American Tobacco, Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S, Drew Estate LLC & Godfrey Phillips India Ltd
Report Ocean	Global Tobacco Market Research Report with Opportunities and Strategies to Boost Growth- Covid-19 Impact and Recovery	Universal Corp, Hongyunhonghe Tobacco (Group) Co., China National Tobacco Co., Philip Morris International Inc., Altria, Japan Tobacco, British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco, Reynolds American Inc.
Research MOZ	Global Tobacco Products Market Report 2021 By Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast To 2027 (Based On 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)	China National Tobacco Co., Japan Tobacco, Djarum, KT&G, Altria, Imperial Tobacco, Gulbahar Tobacco, Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, Gudang Garam
Ample Market Research	Global Dipping Tobacco Market Research Report with Opportunities and Strategies to Boost Growth- COVID-19 Impact and Recovery	JMJ Group, Swedish Match, American Snuff Co, British American Tobacco PLC (BAT), Imperial Tobacco Group, Kayak Outdoors, Manikchand Group, Swisher International, Inc., Pinkerton Tobacco, Japan Tobacco, Inc. (JT), Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), Altria Group, Inc., Dharmapala Satyapal Group
A2Z Market Research	2021-2027 Global Electronic Cigarettes Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Vmr Flavours Llc, Altria Group, Japan Tobacco, International Vapor Group, Reynolds American Inc, Imperial Brands, MCIG Inc., Healthier Choices Management Corp (Ruthless Vapor Corp), J WELL France, Philip Morris International Inc, Nicotek Llc, British American Tobacco, Njoy Inc.
Research MOZ	Global Menthol Cigarette Market Report 2021 By Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast To 2027 (Based On 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)	British American Tobacco, Essentra Plc, Philip Morris International Inc., Lorillard Tobacco Company, Commonwealth Brands Inc., Alfred Dunhill Ltd., China National Tobacco Corporation, Imperial Brands Plc, Japan Tobacco Inc., KT&G Corporation, Altria Group Inc., Liggett Group LLC
HTF Market Intelligence	COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Tobacco Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020	Reynolds American Inc., Japan Tobacco, Altria, Universal Corp, Imperial Tobacco, Hongyunhonghe Tobacco (Group) Co., China National Tobacco Co., British American Tobacco & Philip Morris International Inc.
Report Hive	Vape Pens Market Status and Trend Analysis 2017-2026 (COVID-19 Version)	NicQuid, Philip Morris International Inc., International Vapor Group, British American Tobacco, Altria Group, Inc., Imperial Brands, Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co., Ltd., International, Japan Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, Shenzhen KangerTech Technology Co., Ltd.

Week 72: 26th July – 1st August 2021

• Media reported that the tobacco sale and production of Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) got affected due to closure of tobacco sale points during the lockdown in June in Sri Lanka.
• Philip Morris International (PMI) declared that they are planning to stop selling cigarettes by 2030 and replace it with heated tobacco products. This is reportedly following the decision taken by the government of England to be “smoke-free” by 2030, reducing the adult smoking prevalence to 5%.
• ITC Limited India launched the ‘Sunfeast India Move as One’ programme for the second time in collaboration with Procam International, Give India and Fit India Movement. According to media reports, the collected funds will be used for the “education, nutrition, health and psychological needs of children affected by the pandemic”.
• Media reported the launch of the plantation drive programme at Sarapaka, India by Mission Sunehra Kal, the Social Investments Program of ITC, partnering with the Forest Department in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. Plethora of evidence have revealed that cigarettes and their manufacturing process negatively impact the environment and human health. Article 5.3 of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) recommends against governments having any partnership with the tobacco industry as it has a fundamental irreconcilable conflict of interest with public health.
• Philip Morris International (PMI) published a compilation of statements made by the different government institutes on heated tobacco products including US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Public Health England and National Institute of Public Health of Japan. PMI cited the aforementioned sources in their research website featuring only the carefully selected industry friendly extracts.
• Arrow McLaren SP motor racing team partnered with Vuse, an electronic cigarette brand produced by R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company (Image 9). This partnership is reportedly to launch the winning design of Vuse Design Challenge for racing cars. Vuse design challenge is a competition of nicotine users to design a painting for INDY racing car. Winner was rewarded with a USD 10,000 monetary prize and a VIP ticket to watch the launch of the designed car on the racetrack.

Image 9: Launching the winning design of Vuse challenge reported by media

• This week, market research institutes issued six reports mentioning COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry in the title. The reports are summarised in the Table 10.

Table 10: Summary of published market research reports during week 72

Market research institute	Title of the report	Tobacco companies mentioned
Global Marketers.biz	Global E-cigarette and Vape Market Report 2020 by Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast to 2026 (Based on 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)	Japan Tobacco International, Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co., Ltd., International Vapor Group, Shenzhen KangerTech Technology Co., Ltd., Philip Morris International Inc., R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, Imperial Brands, British American Tobacco, Altria Group, Inc., NicQuid
Reportspedia	2020-2025 Global E-Cigarette Devices Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Imperial Brands plc, Japan Tobacco Inc., FIN Branding Group LLC., British American Tobacco plc, Philip Morris International Inc., International Vapor Group, JUUL Labs, Inc, Vapor Hub International Inc., NJOY Inc., Altria Group Inc., VMR Products LLC
Market Intelligence Data	Tobacco Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, And Forecasts (2021 - 2026)	WestRock Company, Amcor Limited, The International Paper Company, Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Mondi Group, Innova Films Limited, Phillip Morris International Inc., Sonoco Products Company, Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA, Japan Tobacco International, Treofan Film international, Stora Enso Oyj
Stratagem Market Insights	Tobacco Market Size, Insights, Key Players, Business Opportunities, Covid-19 Impact And Emerging Trends By 2028	Altria Group, British American Tobacco, Eastern Co. SAE, Imperial Brands, ITC Ltd., Japan Tobacco International, KT&G, PT Gudang Garam Tbk, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Swisher.
Reportspedia	2020-2025 Global Snus Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Altria Group, Inc., JT International AG, Gotlandssnus AB, Imperial Brands PLC, Japan Tobacco, Inc., Arnold Andre, British American Tobacco PLC, Swedish Match AB (V2 Tobacco), Dharampal Satyapal, GN Tobacco Sweden AB
Reportspedia	2020-2025 Global Snus Market Report - Production and Consumption Professional Analysis (Impact of COVID-19)	Altria Group, Inc., JT International AG, Gotlandssnus AB, Imperial Brands PLC, Japan Tobacco, Inc., Arnold Andre, British American Tobacco PLC, Swedish Match AB (V2 Tobacco), Dharampal Satyapal, GN Tobacco Sweden AB

Media highlights from tobacco industry mid-year reports

During the month of July, mid-year reports of many tobacco companies were published and were highlighted in Media. In Table 11 we have summarised a few excerpts of interesting media highlights.

Table 11: Summary of profit based news reported during the month of July

Reported week	Tobacco company	Highlight
Week 68	British American Tobacco (BAT)	A reduction of revenue by GBP 0.09 billion amidst an increase of revenue from vaping products by 50% (GBP 942 million) (Image 1).
Week 71	Swedish Match, a tobacco company based in Sweden	The revenue for the second quarter of 2021 was SCR 4.5 billion, of which SCR 3 billion was from smokeless tobacco products.
Week 71	British American Tobacco (BAT) Malaysia	A net profit of Malaysian Ringgit 71.62 million for the second quarter of 2021, which was an increase of 31.14% than the second quarter of 2020. It further reported that the reason for the profit growth was the cigarettes volume growth by 14% in this period.
Week 71	British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya	The growth of profit in first 6 months in 2021 was Kenyan Shilling 2.7 billion while net revenue recorded as Kenyan Shilling 12.5 billion.
Week 72	British American Tobacco (BAT) Bangladesh	The earnings per share has increased to Bangladeshi Taka 8.79 during the second quarter of 2021, which is 60.1% increment compared to year 2020. It further stated that BAT plans to invest Bangladeshi Taka 322.2 crore for its factory in Savar site.

TobaccoUnmasked Resources

• Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic
• Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic - November 2020
• Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic - December 2020
• Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic - January 2021
• Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic - February 2021
• Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic - March 2021
• Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic – April - May 2021