Fighting Andalucía’s illegal trade

Imperial Tobacco’s Spanish business is backing a major awareness campaign in Andalucía to tackle what it says is the growing problem caused by illicit tobacco. The Stop Contrabando de Tabaco initiative is led by the Mesa del Tabaco industry body in Spain with support from Altadis.

‘The four-week campaign makes use of impactful advertising on local TV, radio and newspapers as well as posters, billboards and wristbands,’ according to a note posted on Imperial’s website. ‘Andalucía was chosen as it has illicit tobacco consumption rates as high as 40 per cent in some parts of the region.’

The campaign uses the slogan: ‘There’s a part of tobacco smuggling you do not see’, combined with images of people covering one of their eyes.

“This is intended as a wake-up call for the public, to emphasise the illegal trade doesn’t pay taxes, it finances crime and is easily accessible to minors,” said Rocio Ingelmo, corporate and legal affairs manager Spain. “The aim is to tell people this affects us all.”