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Tag: Imperial Brands

  • Reemtsma Criticizes Planned German Tobacco Tax Increases

    Reemtsma Criticizes Planned German Tobacco Tax Increases

    Reemtsma, Germany’s second-largest tobacco manufacturer by overall market share, criticized planned tobacco tax increases from 2027 ahead of an expected Bundestag vote, saying the measures depart from the governing coalition’s commitment to predictable, moderate tax increases. The company said warnings from businesses, retailers, trade unions, researchers, and lawmakers about the potential effects of larger increases were largely disregarded during the legislative process.

    Reemtsma said higher taxes could accelerate cross-border purchases and illicit tobacco sales without reducing consumption at the same rate as legal-market sales. The company warned that declining legal sales could put pressure on manufacturers, retailers, employment, and domestic economic activity. It also questioned whether the government would collect the projected additional €11.8 billion in tax revenue through 2030 if consumers shifted to untaxed channels.

    Christian Cordes, Reemtsma’s director of corporate and legal affairs, compared the proposal with tax increases in the early 2000s, which he said contributed to a decline in the legal market and lower-than-expected revenue. Reemtsma said it supports a gradual, predictable tax-increase model and called for clear criteria to assess changes in legal sales, consumption, and tax receipts, along with measures to address potential market imbalances. The company’s position is outlined in its statement on tobacco taxation.

  • Imperial Targets FY26 Growth, Announces £1.5B Buyback

    Imperial Targets FY26 Growth, Announces £1.5B Buyback

    Imperial Brands expects to meet its FY26 guidance across all key metrics, with tobacco net revenue projected to grow by a low single-digit percentage and next-generation product (NGP) net revenue by double digits. The company said it expects adjusted operating profit growth within its 3% to 5% guidance range, high-single-digit adjusted earnings per share growth, and more than £2.2 billion in free cash flow. Tobacco revenue growth is expected to be driven by pricing and market share gains in the U.S. and Germany, partially offset by low-single-digit volume declines.

    Imperial said it expects share gains across heated tobacco, vaping, and modern oral products. The company also said it is on track to achieve at least £320 million in savings by 2030. Imperial completed its £1.45 billion FY26 share repurchase and announced a further £1.5 billion buyback for FY27, which it expects to complete by Oct. 29, 2027. The company will report full-year results for the year ended Sept. 30 on Nov. 17.

  • Imperial Expands Paramount Brand in UK

    Imperial Expands Paramount Brand in UK

    Imperial Brands has expanded its Paramount value cigarette range in the UK with the launch of Paramount Red Superkings. The new product features an American Blend of tobaccos and is positioned as a full-strength cigarette offering a stronger tobacco taste and aftertaste. It is available through independent and wholesale outlets at a recommended retail price of £14.80.

    Imperial said the Paramount brand, launched in late 2024, has benefited from growth in the value segment. According to company-cited data, value cigarettes accounted for 38% of UK cigarette sales and grew 2% over the past year, while the broader value-price segment represented 17% of the total market in May 2026.

  • Imperial Urges Retailers to Weigh In on UK Consultation

    Imperial Urges Retailers to Weigh In on UK Consultation

    Imperial Brands is urging UK retailers to respond to the government’s latest consultation on the packaging, appearance, and in-store display of vapes, nicotine pouches, and other nicotine products before the Oct. 2 deadline. The company says retailer input will be important given the potential costs and operational disruption associated with changes to store layouts, displays, and packaging.

    The government is expected to respond by the end of the year, with new display restrictions on vapes and nicotine pouches proposed for June 2027. Product appearance requirements would follow later and could also apply to cigarette papers, herbal smoking products, and heated tobacco devices.

    Imperial said it supports measures to prevent youth access but says new requirements should be “practical, evidence-based, and workable for responsible law-abiding retailers.” The company warns that mandatory closed storage could require new fixtures or store-layout changes, while standardized white packaging could make products harder to distinguish and increase transaction times. It also says implementation timelines could be challenging where physical modifications are required.

    Imperial is encouraging retailers to submit their views through the government consultation portal, arguing their “real-world retail experience” is critical to developing practical and proportionate regulations. The consultation comes ahead of other significant UK changes, including Oct. 29’s minimum sales age of 18 for all consumer nicotine products and the phased annual increase in the tobacco sales age beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

  • Is Science Impacting Policy or Policy Impacting Science? GTNF 2026

    Is Science Impacting Policy or Policy Impacting Science? GTNF 2026

    At GTNF 2026 in Lisbon, a panel examining the science behind the European Union’s proposed TPD3 legislation questioned whether policymakers are adequately considering the available evidence on tobacco harm reduction. Moderator Sud Patwardhan said decisions may be made on information that has been submitted but not necessarily analyzed, while Peter Beckett of Three Six One said science alone may not determine regulatory outcomes, with political pressure likely to remain influential. Imperial Brands’ Libby Clarke argued that regulation should reflect the best available science and said recent EU reports gave too little consideration to relative risk and harm reduction. Nathalie Darge of Tobacco Europe said stakeholders should remain engaged with the regulatory process, while Konstantinos Farsalinos of the Universities of Patras and West Attica said scientists have raised concerns that evidence supporting harm reduction and flexible regulation is being overlooked.

    Clarke said real-world evidence and the cumulative weight of research should be considered rather than focusing primarily on absolute risk, pointing to countries that have taken what she described as pragmatic approaches to tobacco harm reduction and seen declines in smoking. Farsalinos said the EU’s call for evidence generated what he described as an unprecedented volume of feedback supporting harm reduction and flexible regulation, but that senior health officials have opposed those views. He called for the results to be published and for additional data to be generated and communicated.

  • Illicit Market Threatens Harm Reduction Progress

    Illicit Market Threatens Harm Reduction Progress

    The growing illicit nicotine market is creating risks for brand protection, consumer safety and tobacco harm reduction, speakers said at GTNF 2026 in Lisbon during the “Playing Defense – Brand Protection and its Impact on Harm Reduction and Consumers” panel. Following a keynote address, Lillian Ortega, founder and chief regulatory strategist at WOW Solutions, moderated the panel and said the U.S. unauthorized vape market is already significant and warned that “you can’t enforce your way out of it.” Ortega said an estimated 70% of the U.S. vape market is unauthorized, although the figure does not capture online sales and some vape shops, and argued that regulatory delays and gaps in FDA oversight can leave demand to illicit suppliers. She called for timely and predictable product authorization, better tracking of products entering the U.S. and greater information sharing throughout the supply chain.

    Michael Horowitz, managing counsel at RAI Services Company, said an entrenched illegal market is difficult to reverse, particularly when consumers may not realize they are purchasing unauthorized products. He also pointed to fragmented enforcement and the difficulty of distinguishing unauthorized products from products that are genuinely illicit.

    Abel Vecino, head of illicit trade prevention for Southwest Europe at Philip Morris International, said brand protection is also about protecting consumers as they move away from combustible products. He said criminal organizations are scaling production, moving closer to consumer markets and exploiting enforcement gaps, while adapting to demand for lower-priced products. Vecino called for greater cooperation with law enforcement and proactive partnerships before problems emerge.

    Stevan Vranes, global head of corporate affairs at Imperial Brands, said illicit products are increasingly visible in local communities and legitimate retail channels, while distinguishing legal from illegal products has become more difficult in newer nicotine categories. He said illicit cigarette factories across Europe can now produce up to 1 million cigarettes an hour and that illicit sales are increasingly moving online. Vranes called for a holistic approach, including greater pressure on social media and stronger action against online sales, while acknowledging that authorities cannot physically inspect every container entering global ports.

  • Imperial Acquires Owner of Helwit Nicotine Pouches

    Imperial Acquires Owner of Helwit Nicotine Pouches

    Imperial Brands announced the acquisition of Swedish modern oral nicotine company Yoik Group AB, owner of the Helwit nicotine pouch brand, for an initial SEK 515 million (£39.8 million), plus a performance-based deferred payment over two years. Helwit has a 3.4% share of Sweden’s modern oral nicotine market and is sold online across Europe and in select U.K. retailers.

    The acquisition more than doubles Imperial’s existing modern oral market share in Sweden, where the company operates through Skruf AB. Yoik’s founders and employees will join Imperial, while the Helwit brand will remain focused on its flavor-led portfolio and Swedish heritage. The deal is part of Imperial’s strategy to expand its next-generation product portfolio through bolt-on acquisitions.

  • Imperial Preparing Thousands of Job Cuts: Bloomberg

    Imperial Preparing Thousands of Job Cuts: Bloomberg

    According to Bloomberg, Imperial Brands is preparing to cut thousands of jobs across key markets including the United States and Europe as part of a cost-reduction effort. Shares of the tobacco company fell 5.3% to 2,643 pence following the report.

    The first phase is expected to affect human resources, finance, procurement, and supply-chain staff at ITG Brands, Imperial’s U.S. business covering the United States, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. A second phase would target legal, marketing, and insights and intelligence teams, with affected employees expected to be notified in April and cuts beginning mid-year, Bloomberg reported.

    An Imperial Brands spokesperson said the changes would “have an impact across our global market footprint” but did not disclose the number of positions affected. Bloomberg also reported that some ITG Brands roles will be outsourced to strategic partner Capgemini before year-end, while Imperial has begun consultations with relevant EU bodies regarding planned redundancies. Imperial employed about 25,800 people globally at the end of 2025.

  • Imperial Warning Landlords to Police Tenants Selling Illicit Products

    Imperial Warning Landlords to Police Tenants Selling Illicit Products

    Imperial Brands warned commercial landlords across the UK that they could face criminal prosecution if they continue to collect rent from retail tenants selling counterfeit or illicit tobacco products. The company said it has written to landlords of multiple premises where investigations identified illegal tobacco sales despite repeated enforcement action, formally notifying them of the potential legal consequences if the activity continues.

    Imperial said landlords who knowingly benefit from illegal trade could face prosecution under the UK’s Proceeds of Crime Act, in addition to penalties associated with the sale of counterfeit goods, which can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years and unlimited fines. The company cited recent case law that it says confirms landlords may be held liable if they continue accepting rent from premises involved in illicit trade.

    Imperial is urging landlords to enforce lease provisions prohibiting illegal activity, cooperate with enforcement authorities, and evict non-compliant tenants where necessary. Deirdre Healy, Head of Corporate and Legal Affairs at Imperial Brands UK, said landlords “cannot turn a blind eye” to illicit tobacco sales, adding that the company is prepared to pursue legal remedies, including injunctions and support for criminal investigations, against landlords who fail to act.

  • Imperial Expands U.S. Portfolio with Black Buffalo Acquisition

    Imperial Expands U.S. Portfolio with Black Buffalo Acquisition

    Imperial Brands announced it has acquired Black Buffalo in a deal valued at $150 million upfront, with additional performance-based payments over the next three years, as the company looks to expand its position in the fast-growing U.S. oral nicotine category. The acquisition gives Imperial and its U.S. subsidiary ITG Brands a stronger foothold beyond traditional nicotine pouches through Black Buffalo’s tobacco-free long cut and pouch products designed to replicate the experience of moist smokeless tobacco.

    Founded in 2015 and manufactured in North Carolina using U.S.-grown leafy greens, Black Buffalo has built a growing presence in the U.S. modern oral segment that has generated roughly $6.6 billion in sales over the past year and continues to grow at double-digit rates. While Imperial’s existing Zone pouch brand recently reached about 2.8% national market share across more than 109,000 U.S. stores, the company said Black Buffalo’s differentiated positioning complements its existing oral portfolio and strengthens its long-term next-generation products strategy as cigarette volumes continue to decline globally.