Tobacco News

Japanese retailers have experienced a bit of a rush recently—of the nicotine variety.
An increase in tobacco tax added around 100 yen ($1.20) to the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes at midnight on Thursday, sucking the nation’s smokers into stores earlier in the week to stock up on cartons of their favourite fix beforehand. Convenience store managers have aggressively advertised the price hike for weeks, hoping that nicotine-addicts will buy an extra box or two from their shops. Ream more »

The government has notified the ban on FDI in cigarette manufacturing, a decision taken by the Union Cabinet on April 8.
“Manufacturing of cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes, of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes” have been put under the list of sectors where FDI is prohibited. Read more

The world’s third largest tobacco company by sales volume, Japan Tobacco Inc, has invested $65 million (Rs 293 crore) in its Indian unit without increasing its shareholding, just days ahead of a government decision to ban foreign direct investment in cigarette manufacturing. Read more

Japan Tobacco Inc. (2914.TO) Wednesday said it swung into a net profit in its fiscal fourth quarter, but it expects a tough year ahead as it hikes prices to absorb a looming government-mandated tobacco tax hike. Read more