Cigars, Cigarillos and Smoking Tobacco

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 tobacco volume sales decreased substantially in 2022. One reason this was an increase in unit prices, due to the rise in excise duties on smoking tobacco. This negatively affected both domestic sales of smoking tobacco, with many consumers…

Like cigars, cigarillos is a niche category in Chile. These are considered speciality products, available only to a small segment of the population, despite the high smoking prevalence in Chile. As such, until 2021, sales of cigarillos were below a…

Fine cut tobacco volume sales recorded positive growth in 2022 following the decline seen in 2021, with actual volume sales in 2022 remaining above their pre-pandemic level, helped by the strong growth seen in 2020. The continued prevalence of remote…

In 2022, retail volume sales of cigars continued to fall due to supply and logistics issues, particularly for Cuban cigars. The shortages had a significant impact on the category as a whole, as the Hong Kong market heavily depends on Cuban cigars.…

The market for cigars and cigarillos remains fairly small in Indonesia, with the potential consumer base remaining somewhat limited. This is especially true for imported cigars which are sold at high prices which are generally only affordable to…

Having experienced a drop in retail volume and current value sales in 2020, in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, cigars and cigarillos saw a return to growth in 2021. The rebound in retail volume and current value growth continued in…

The disappearance of pandemic fears created more opportunities for social events and gatherings in 2022 giving rise to greater smoking occasions. However, mounting inflation and soaring prices hampered demand for cigars as disposable income was…

The growth seen in fine cut tobacco in recent years came to a halt in 2022, with the category recording a double-digit volume sales decline. As in cigarettes, this decline was being driven by UK consumers returning to travelling abroad and purchasing…

Amongst all the established traditional alternatives to cigarettes, pipe tobacco is the only one still growing as fast as cigarettes, while cigars, cigarillos, and fine cut tobacco are also seeing growth, but at a slower rate. One of the reasons is…

In 2022, the return of foreign tourists supported a recovery in cigars and cigarillos, although retail volume and current value sales remained well below pre-pandemic levels. North American tourists are a key consumer base for cigars and cigarillos…

There was a significant increase in volume sales for cigars and cigarillos in 2022, and in particular for cigarillos. With society fully opened up, post pandemic lockdowns, this led to an increase in volume sales, as there was more socialising. The…

Although the category has seen a substantial recovery since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, cigars are purchased by relatively few Guatemalans. The majority of cigars are imported which limits supply and distribution in the country. At the same…

Fine cut tobacco’s value proposition was helping drive demand for this product in 2022. In comparison to its more expensive competitor, cigarettes, fine cut tobacco does not have to factor in the manufacturing cost of creating a ready-to-smoke…

La Aurora SA maintained its very strong position in cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in 2022 as the company’s wide portfolio of cigars ensured another consecutive year of category leadership for the local player. La Aurora continues to benefit…

While cigars and smoking tobacco continued to decline in 2022, cigarillos managed to record marginally positive growth in this year, representing something of a rebound in its performance after seeing a declining trajectory during the pandemic. The…

In line with most tobacco manufacturers in Greece, players in the category de-invested from traditional tobacco products and shifted their focus to new generation options, namely e-vapour products and heated tobacco. These new generation products are…

The product area has seen two recent price increases: by 2 shekels in June 2021, and by a further 2 shekels in January 2023. In 2021 the category saw positive growth as a result of lockdown and lower sales of duty-free stores. Post-COVID-19, it has…

Cigars and cigarillos registered a healthy increase in volume sales in 2022 and benefitted from people socialising again, as society was fully opened up, post pandemic lockdowns. Though cigarillos are much more popular in Kazakhstan than cigars, the…

Sales of cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco rebound in 2022 due to the reopening of cafés and bars, and the surge in tourism. These products are mainly consumed in on-trade outlets, which account for more than 80% of total cigars and smoking…