British American Tobacco Malaysia - Illegal tobacco trade
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British American Tobacco Malaysia is committed to raise the understanding and awareness of illegal cigarettes trade as part of our strategic imperative to reduce unfair competition.
Illegal cigarettes are by far the legal cigarette industry's biggest challenge. It is the largest player in the total cigarette market in Malaysia at the expense of legal manufacturers. These illegal cigarettes comprise of largely smuggled cigarettes that come in a variety of names which are not brands belonging to legitimate cigarette manufacturers in Malaysia. The latest Illicit Cigarette Study conducted by Nielsen revealed that the illegal cigarette trade reached a record high of 58.9% in 2018. This indicates that out of 10 packs, 6 are illegal.
The illegal cigarette market can be fueled by large increases in tobacco taxation, which often results in legal cigarettes being made unaffordable to some consumers who then switch to cheap alternative illegal brands.
Trade in illegal cigarettes may cause various unintended consequences, for example, it:
Whilst the prime responsibility for combating illegal cigarette trade lies with the Government, the tobacco industry (Confederation of Malaysian Tobacco Manufacturers, of which British American Tobacco Malaysia is a member) has a significant role to play in supporting efforts to combat such trade. This includes raising awareness and understanding about the illegal cigarettes trade.
Illicit Cigarettes StudyIn Malaysia, 2022 Report (589 kb)
Illicit Cigarette Study in Malaysia October 2021 (1,462 kb)
Illegal Cigarette Study in Malaysia May 2021 (1,824 kb)
Illicit Cigarette Study in Malaysia December 2020 (1,755 kb)
illegal Cigarettes Study (ICS) In Malaysia November 2020 Report (2,259 kb)
Illicit Cigarette Study in Malaysia October 2020 (2,112 kb)
Illicit Cigarette Study in Malaysia September 2020 (2,223 kb)
Illicit Cigarette Study in Malaysia August 2020 (2,222 kb)
Illicit Cigarette Study in Malaysia (September – December 2019) (1,257 kb)
Illicit Cigarette Study in Malaysia (June – August 2019) (1,230 kb)
Illegal Cigarette Study in Malaysia (March - May 2019) (1,221 kb)
Illegal Cigarette Study in Malaysia - 2019 (1,286 kb)
The economics of the illicit tobacco trade in Malaysia - June 2019 (3.0 mb)