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  • BAT and Accenture Partner

    BAT and Accenture Partner

    BAT and Accenture have entered into a global strategic partnership.

    As part of the strategic partnership, BAT will transform its Global Business Solutions function and Supply Network Operations. This collaboration will help simplify processes, improve speed to market, enhance compliance agility and create a foundation for future growth.

    The agreement will also provide BAT with access to Accenture’s comprehensive technological capabilities—including analytics and Agentic AI solutions—as well as its global learning capabilities.

    “At BAT, we are building a future-ready operating model—one that puts talent, technology, and trusted partnerships at its core,” said Tadeu Marroco, BAT CEO. “This agreement is more than operational change—it is a step toward a new way of working: one which is interconnected, agile, and underpinned by a digital ecosystem.

    “This approach reflects a broader commitment to how BAT is evolving its business model, developing strategic partnerships with industry leaders with world-class expertise.”

    “BAT has a bold vision to evolve its business to a dynamic new operating model, and we are excited to serve as its reinvention partner,” said Julie Sweet, Accenture chair and CEO. “Through our collaboration, we will harness the power of technology, data, AI, and our robust ecosystem of platform partners and share our deep expertise to help BAT modernize its operations and strengthen its agility and resilience.

    “This new way of working, fueled by connected, strategic partnerships, will help BAT raise the bar for innovation, create value, and drive sustainable growth.”

  • FDA Seeks Nominations for the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee

    FDA Seeks Nominations for the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requesting nominations by Aug. 25, 2025, for voting members to serve on the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC). Individuals may self-nominate or be nominated by any interested person or organization.

    Specifically, TPSAC is seeking to fill five vacancies with physicians, dentists, scientists, or healthcare professionals practicing in oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, toxicology, pharmacology, addiction, engineering, or any other relevant specialty. Included in the five vacancies is one vacancy for a representative of the general public and one vacancy for an employee of federal, state, or local government. Selected members will be invited to serve for terms of up to four years, which will begin on Feb. 1, 2026, after the current members’ terms expire.

    All nominations for membership should be sent electronically to the FDA Advisory Nomination Portal or by mail to Advisory Committee Oversight and Management Staff. Please see the Federal Register notice for further information. Nominations received after Aug. 25, 2025, will be considered for nomination to the committee as later vacancies occur.

    TPSAC advises the FDA in its responsibilities related to the regulation of tobacco products, such as any application submitted by a manufacturer for a modified-risk tobacco product. The committee reviews and evaluates safety, dependence, and health issues concerning tobacco products and provides appropriate advice, information, and recommendations to the FDA commissioner.

  • Malaysian Study Proposes 80% Retail Price Increase

    Malaysian Study Proposes 80% Retail Price Increase

    A collaborative study led by health organizations including Johns Hopkins and the American Cancer Society proposes raising Malaysia’s average retail cigarette price from MYR 17.40 ($4.11) to MYR 31.74 ($7.50) per pack—an over 80% increase—by implementing a 159% excise tax hike. The goal is to reduce adult smoking prevalence from ~18.2% to the national target of 15%.

    The proposal is estimated to generate roughly MYR 2.6 billion ($615mn) in annual tax revenue, while also addressing stagnating affordability since 2014 despite already high tax levels (~75% of retail price). The study builds on WHO recommendations for structured adjustments tied to GDP and inflation.

  • China Tobacco to Expand Distribution of Great Wall Cigars

    China Tobacco to Expand Distribution of Great Wall Cigars

    China Tobacco International (HK) has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with China Tobacco Sichuan to expand distribution of its Great Wall cigars from duty-free markets in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau to a global market, excluding mainland China.

  • Tobacco Companies Using Online Gaming, Metaverse for Marketing

    Tobacco Companies Using Online Gaming, Metaverse for Marketing

    Tobacco companies are now using online gaming communities, virtual reality platforms, NFTs, and avatars to promote and market smoking and vaping to young people, according to a recent World Conference on Tobacco Control report, notes the Times of India.

    Using these metaverse platforms bypasses traditional advertising restrictions and raising the possibility of increasing youth tobacco use, according to the research from the Canary Project.

    The digital promotions often include things like branded virtual lounges, influencer avatars, and immersive events featuring tobacco products.

    Experts are concerned that the tactic will normalize tobacco use among youth; over half of the metaverse’s active users are ages 13 and below. “The combination of immersive technology and addictive marketing is deeply concerning,” said Melina Magsumbol of Vital Strategies India, part of the global health organization that runs the Canary Project.

  • Tobacco Use Linked to Higher Depression and Anxiety in Adolescents: Study

    Tobacco Use Linked to Higher Depression and Anxiety in Adolescents: Study

    A recent study in PLOS Mental Health showed that adolescents who use e-cigarettes or traditional tobacco products have a higher likelihood of depression and anxiety than non-tobacco users.

    The study looked at more than 60,000 U.S. middle school and high school students between 2021 and 2023.

    According to the study, adolescents using tobacco reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety while adolescents using both e-cigarettes and conventional tobacco products showed higher risk of these mental health issues.

    The authors of the study stated that “while causality cannot be determined, the results from this study showed that all forms of tobacco use were significantly associated with mental health issues. There is a need to continue promoting mental health support and implementing tailored interventions to combat all forms of tobacco use among adolescents.”

  • Turning Points to Host Conference Call

    Turning Points to Host Conference Call

    Turning Points Brands will hold a conference call on Aug. 6, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time to review its second-quarter 2025 results.

    Those interested can participate using call-in numbers (800) 715-9871 (U.S. toll-free) or (646) 307-1963 (international) and event ID 6640134.

    Participants should dial in at least 10 minutes before the start of the call and follow the audio prompts after typing in the event ID. The call will also be broadcast live as a listen-only webcast from the investor relations section of the company’s website. The replay of the webcast will be available on the website two hours following the call.

  • Pyxus to Hold Conference Call

    Pyxus to Hold Conference Call

    Pyxus International will release its financial results for its first quarter of fiscal year 2026 on Aug. 6, 2025.

    The earnings conference call and webcast will be held at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. To participate in the call, investors and analysts can dial (929) 477-0448 or (888) 254-3590 and use conference ID 8412361. There will also be a live webcast.

    Prior to the event, Pyxus will issue a press release disclosing the financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    The archived recording of the webcast will be available on the company’s investor relations webpage shortly after the call.

  • Italy Discovers One of Europe’s Largest Illegal Cigarette Factories

    Italy Discovers One of Europe’s Largest Illegal Cigarette Factories

    On July 22, 2025, Italian authorities supported by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) dismantled a clandestine cigarette manufacturing facility near Stornara in Apulia. The site had the capacity to produce up to 2 million cigarettes daily and was estimated to be worth over €1.3 million.

    The operation included coordination across Apulia and Sicily, targeting a broader smuggling network. Logistics chains, packaging systems counterfeit samples, and ready-to-ship finished product were seized. The scale and structure indicate a well-developed organized supply network bypassing regulated markets.

  • Retailers Facing Inflation, Illicit Market Pressures

    Retailers Facing Inflation, Illicit Market Pressures

    Goldman Sachs’ “Nicotine Nuggets” survey of roughly 40,000 U.S. convenience-store outlets (Q3 2024 data) shows 41% of respondents reporting a negative outlook on tobacco and nicotine categories. Drivers include inflation-induced downtrading to discount cigarette brands and suppressed overall foot traffic.

    Consumers are trading down to lower-tier cigarettes and seeking deals more aggressively, while many are switching to oral nicotine pouches or budget vape disposables. Simultaneously, the illicit market is expanding, particularly in flavored disposables and oral nicotine products, which cuts into retailers’ margins.

    Retailers also report that vape volumes have slowed significantly, despite promotional gains in oral products. Disposable flavored e-cigarettes, often illicit, have proliferated, bypassing regulatory channels and complicating compliance for c-store operators.

    Retailers expressed frustration at the slow pace of enforcement, particularly by the FDA, creating competitive imbalances with legally compliant businesses. The combined pressures of inflation, shifting consumer preferences, and illicit product availability are reshaping tobacco category dynamics in convenience retail.