Tobacco

During 2022 inflation led to a trading down to mid and low priced brands. The market was also hindered by economic insecurity, high levels of poverty, crime and illicit trade, while widespread anti-smoking campaigns and tough legislation negatively…

Volume sales of cigarettes declined in 2022 alongside smoking prevalence. While the market is characterised by imported products such as those of Philip Morris and British American Tobacco, despite a strong reduction in contraband, illegal cigarettes…

Volume sales of cigarettes continued to decline in 2022. Government anti-tobacco initiatives, a decrease in smoking prevalence and growth in illicit trade challenged legal sales. Despite inflation-induced price sensitivity, premium brands remained…

Paraguay’s consumption of tobacco declined once again in 2022 as smoking prevalence continued to fall. The increased awareness of the harmful effects of smoking on health, anti-tobacco policies, such as bans on advertising, the inclusion of health…

In line with the economic crisis, cigarette consumption showed a third consecutive year of moderate retail growth, driven by the trade down from premium to mainstream brands and from mid-term price brands to economy options. As illicit trade saw a…

Probably the biggest development in the Chilean tobacco industry in 2022 was the explosive increase in sales of illicit products. According to a study carried out by British American Tobacco (BAT) and the MIDE Centre from the Catholic University of…

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…

E-vapour products have become extremely popular in Chile, finding a solid consumer base amongst people in their 20s and 30s. Small specialist stores and informal online sellers have taken advantage of this trend, promoting an important increase in…

In a year marked by 30-year-high inflation rates, the tobacco industry showed resilience in 2022, as most categories managed to see growth, despite a slowdown of the Chilean economy and a strong increase in contraband, which continued to hit…

High inflation impinged on Costa Rican household budgets in 2022, prompting more consumers to trade down to cheaper cigarette brands. Often, the more economical options are illegal cigarettes that come from India and South Korea via the Colón Free…

Smoking prevalence continues to decline in Guatemala as more consumers quit entirely or migrate to smokeless tobacco alternatives. Fiscal pressure on cigarettes remains high driving up the retail price per pack, which is too costly for many…

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…

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…

In January 2022, a 20% tax increase came into effect on electronic cigarettes and vaping products (liquid and accessories). The new law imposes a 20% tax on vapers, as well as e-liquids and electronic devices used for vaping. In addition, consumers…

Novel tobacco heating devices and accompanying heated tobacco sticks saw further expansion in 2022. In addition to the Phillip Morris International IQOS system, which arrived on the scene in 2017, the same company introduced a lower-cost system at…

Although socialising and post-pandemic celebrations improved in 2022, severe pressures on discretionary incomes and negative press surrounding the hazards of smoking limited overall tobacco consumption. Price has become a buzzword in 2022 with Costa…

Tobacco registered positive value growth across all subcategories in 2022. With society shifting back to greater normality after the 2020 COVID-19 restrictions, increased socialising supported a partial recovery in retail value growth. Most…

Retail volume sales of cigarettes continued to decline in the Dominican Republic during 2022 as the long-term trend away from cigarettes and towards alternative tobacco products continued to develop. In addition, smoking prevalence is still falling…

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…

The burgeoning heated tobacco category continued to register rising demand during 2022 as smokers who had previously preferred more traditional cigarettes continued to migrate towards this next generation alternative to cigarettes. At the time of…