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…

Cigars continued to register a strong performance in 2022, with double digit volume growth. However, cigars remain relatively niche and attributed to higher-income consumers such as businessmen and executives, due to their expensive prices. Moreso,…

Cigars and cigarillos are considered niche products in Uzbekistan as they are not as widely consumed as regular cigarettes. They are typically sought out by those seeking luxurious and prestigious items, with many purchased as gifts or for special…

Fine cut tobacco continued to account for considerable value sales in 2022, and unlike cigarettes, registered a healthy volume increase. Part of the reason for the growth was with inflation on the rise, consumers opted to roll their own cigarettes…

Cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco all recorded major sales declines in unit volume terms in 2022, hit by a marked reduction in the assortment that was available as well as frequent out-of-stock situations, which were related to economic, import…

Fine cut tobacco was by far the most dynamic performer within cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in Turkey in volume sales terms in 2022, recording a triple-digit growth rate. Because these products are significantly cheaper and more economical…

Tunisians are big fans of hookah smoking, which is widely smoked in cafés in Tunisia. This sector is dominated by foreign brands such as Mazaya, Al Fakher, and Adalya, which are smuggled into Tunisia on the black market and available from traditional…

Cigars and cigarillos in the US had an abrupt awakening in 2023, after the category experienced a current value decline for the first time in over a decade. This came off the back of a very strong performance in the pandemic and post-pandemic period…

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…

With the easing of COVID-19 related restrictions in 2022, the disrupted supply of imported cigars that was seen in 2020 and 2021 was less of an issue at the end of the review period. The niche market of cigars and cigarillos and the efforts of…

One of the leading factors contributing to decline in sales of smoking tobacco over the last two years was that the excise tax increased in 2021. The government in the Netherlands is now increasing the excise on smoking tobacco at the same time as it…

Overall, cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in the Czech Republic registered a moderate decrease in retail volume sales in 2023. However, this was mainly due to the decrease in retail volume sales of fine cut tobacco, which dominates in terms of…

Thailand's cigar and cigarillos market is relatively small and dominated by imported cigars, with a limited number of local manufacturers. Cigars and cigarillos are perceived to be premium products by Thai consumers and as such are mainly only…

Cigars and cigarillos have achieved steady growth as consumers increasingly choose to consume more sophisticated products. While cigarillos face lower taxes than cigarettes, they are the same price as cigarettes making them an attractive option to…

Sales of both cigars and cigarillos recorded solid retail volume growth in 2022. Many smokers consider cigar smoking as an occasional indulgence rather than a daily necessity, and are less likely to try to quit smoking or to reduce their consumption…

Following several years of volume decline, cigar and cigarillos saw a very marginal increase in retail volume sales in 2022. Border trade is typical in tobacco products within the Nordic region, and the return of Norwegian buyers in Sweden supported…

Fine cut tobacco registered solid growth in retail volume terms in 2022, while cigars, cigarillos and pipe tobacco all registered a decline. Several factors can explain the positive performance of the category. Firstly, manufacturers have managed to…

In 2022, cigars and cigarillos in South Korea saw significant growth. Increased consumer interest in cigars since the pandemic was the main factor supporting growth. According to local keyword search statistics from Naver, consumer searches for…

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…