Tobacco

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…

After a year of strong growth in 2021, cigarette sales recorded a slight unit volume decline in Middle East and Africa in 2022. With disposable incomes under pressure in a lot of countries, illicit trade remains a problem in many of them. E-vaping…

There was a slight increase in volume sales in cigarettes in Algeria in 2023, mainly due to population growth, with smoking prevalence falling slightly, particularly among men. Consistent tax increases over the review period dampened volume sales…

In 2023, amidst persistent inflationary pressures, consumer preferences in the area of cigarettes underwent a notable transformation in Cameroon. Affordability emerged as a paramount concern, prompting a discernible shift towards economically priced…

The market for cigarettes in Egypt witnessed a decline in volume terms in 2023, within a context of continuing economic uncertainty. Multiple devaluations of the Egyptian pound and a lack of foreign currency made it more difficult for tobacco…

There is a high level of illegal trade/counterfeit tobacco products in Kenya, especially cigarettes. These products manage to enter the country through porous borders and continuously pose a challenge to local manufacturers while damaging the overall…

After an increase in the Internal Consumption Tax (TIC) on tobacco in January 2021, there was a rise in April 2021 and further increase in January 2023, building on the increase from 2020. This had a particularly pronounced effect on volume sales of…

Retail volume sales of cigarettes in Nigeria declined marginally in 2022. This was mainly because steep increases in unit prices gave many smokers a greater incentive to quit or cut down, particularly as high inflation eroded purchasing power and…

Tobacco faced sanctions in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, which saw all tobacco product sales temporarily prohibited, encouraging the illicit trade in cigarettes, which accounted for around a third of overall sales in this year. Following the…

It was a negative year for cigarettes in 2022, with a significant fall in volume sales and with illicit sales accounting for over a quarter of volume sales – a figure that has been increasing since 2020. This was in spite of smoking prevalence…

Demand for cigars and cigarillos remained low in Algeria in 2023, with volume sales falling. The non-existence of local production combined with the restrictions on imports and local currency depreciation all dampened demand. Therefore, volume sales…

In 2023, cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in Cameroon recorded steady growth in volume terms. Despite the ban imposed by the Ministry of Trade in 2022, pipe tobacco continued to enjoy demand in 2023, primarily fuelled by its association with…

The market for cigars, cigarillos, and smoking tobacco in Egypt witnessed only modest growth in volume terms in 2023, thanks to disruption to supply chains, which led to shortages at a retail level. This resulted in many smokers reducing their…

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of cigars and cigarillos plummeted. This was mainly due to the closures of establishments, as consumers of these products are usually social smokers that enjoy smoking these products in social settings. In…

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…

Retail volume sales of cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco declined sharply in 2022. As with cigarettes, demand was depressed by steep price hikes resulting from tax increases and a spike in inflation caused by the depreciation of the naira, the…

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…

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…

The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…

Slower growth, surging inflation, rising geopolitical risks and an accelerating deglobalisation trend are factors shaping the global economic, financial and trade landscape in 2022 and beyond. Despite the challenges, there are opportunities for…