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Tag: JTI

  • JTI Backs Unitary Tax for Vape Products in Philippines

    JTI Backs Unitary Tax for Vape Products in Philippines

    Japan Tobacco International backed a proposal to unify excise taxes on vapor products in the Philippines, telling lawmakers that a single rate would curb tax avoidance and strengthen revenue collection. Speaking at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, JTI Director for Fiscal and Regulatory Affairs Mario Zinampan said differing tax rates for salt nicotine and freebase products create opportunities for misclassification and regulatory arbitrage, effectively enabling another form of illicit trade. He said harmonizing rates would help ensure a level playing field and prevent product misdeclaration.

    JTI also argued that a unified vape tax should be aligned with the rate imposed on heated tobacco products, noting that both are recognized alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Zinampan cited the legislative intent behind Republic Act No. 11467, which set the excise tax framework for combustible and non-combustible nicotine products, and said aligning vapor and heated tobacco taxes would promote coherence in the system. The remarks supported Romero ‘Miro’ Quimbo, chairperson of the House Ways and Means Committee, who renewed his call for a unitary vape tax, citing rising youth nicotine use at the hearing.

  • Japan’s HTP Tax Changes Threaten JTI Growth: CFO

    Japan’s HTP Tax Changes Threaten JTI Growth: CFO

    Tax changes in Japan that will eliminate preferential tax treatment for heated tobacco products are expected to weigh on growth this year, according to Japan Tobacco International CFO Vassilis Vovos. The policy shift would tax heated tobacco at the same rate as traditional cigarettes, potentially raising retail prices by 70 to 100 yen ($0.46 to $0.65) per pack after sales tax. Vovos said the company plans to introduce incremental price increases throughout 2026 to offset the impact and avoid a single steep price hike.

    The tax change poses a challenge to JTI’s expansion of its Ploom heated tobacco device in Japan, the world’s largest heated tobacco market, which is currently led by rival Philip Morris International, according to Reuters. Parent company Japan Tobacco has relied on newer product categories to drive growth, with Ploom volumes rising more than 38% last year and reaching a 14.4% share of the heated tobacco segment. While executives warned the tax change could temporarily slow category growth, they said heated tobacco remains a key long-term revenue driver.

  • JT Reports Record Year with Revenue Up 13%

    JT Reports Record Year with Revenue Up 13%

    Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) reported record fiscal 2025 results, with revenue rising 13.4% to JPY 3.47 trillion ($22.6 billion) and adjusted operating profit increasing 21.5% to JPY 902.2 billion ($5.9 billion), driven largely by tobacco business growth and the acquisition of Vector Group. Profit climbed 188.9% to JPY 499.1 billion ($3.2 billion), while free cash flow rose to JPY 272.7 billion ($1.8 billion), and the company plans to pay an annual dividend of JPY 234 ($1.52) per share.

    For fiscal 2026, JT forecasts continued growth, projecting revenue to increase 6.6% and adjusted operating profit to rise 7.9%, as it accelerates investment in heated tobacco products to complement its combustible cigarette portfolio and support long-term earnings expansion.

    “These achievements are the outcome of the strategic investments we have actively pursued over the years,” said JT Group president and CEO Takehiko Tsutsui. “In our Business Plan 2026, we intend to accelerate investments in heated products with the aim of establishing them as the second pillar of profit growth, alongside combustibles, in future years. Furthermore, we are targeting high single digit growth at a [compound annual growth rate] in consolidated adjusted operating profit at constant FX, driven by the tobacco business.”

  • JT Applies to Raise Prices of Plume and Wiz Products

    JT Applies to Raise Prices of Plume and Wiz Products

    Japan Tobacco (JT) submitted an application to Japan’s Minister of Finance yesterday (January 27) seeking approval to revise the retail list prices of cigarettes, aligned with the government’s review of the heated tobacco taxation system effective April 1. The application covers all 37 variants of Plume tobacco sticks and Wiz tobacco capsules, marking a comprehensive price adjustment across JT’s heated tobacco portfolio. JT said the proposed revisions are intended to help maintain product quality and brand value while continuing to meet consumer expectations amid changes to the tax framework. If approved, the new retail prices will take effect from April 1, with the company acknowledging the added cost to consumers while committing to further improvements in product quality and customer service.

  • JTI Announces Flores as GM of Global Travel Retail

    JTI Announces Flores as GM of Global Travel Retail

    Japan Tobacco International named Olesja Flores as general manager of Global Travel Retail, according to The Moodie Davitt Report. Flores, a JTI veteran with over 25 years of experience across Europe—including roles in Lucerne, Geneva, Copenhagen, and Vilnius—most recently served as general manager for JTI Switzerland for more than three and a half years. Based in Dubai, she will now lead JTI’s global travel retail operations, citing the city’s innovation and fast-paced environment as ideal for the dynamic travel retail channel.

  • JTI to Launch Four New EVO Flavors

    JTI to Launch Four New EVO Flavors

    Japan Tobacco (JT) is set to launch four new EVO variants for its Ploom heated tobacco line, covering mint, capsule (crushball), and regular (non-menthol) flavor segments, according to Neosmo. The variants—Green Mint, Cacao Mint Crystal, Tropical Lime Crystal, and Sakura Regular—will be sold in 20-stick packs at 550 yen ($3.50) each, keeping the range within the same price band. Two flavors go on sale January 22 and the remaining two on February 3, initially through CLUB JT online and Ploom retail stores. Consumers will vote to select one variant for nationwide distribution, including convenience stores, with results expected in early March.

  • Tobacco Companies Funding €1.1M to Clean Portugal’s Litter

    Tobacco Companies Funding €1.1M to Clean Portugal’s Litter

    Portuguese municipalities will receive €1.1 million a year from the tobacco industry in 2026 and 2027 to help offset the cost of cleaning discarded cigarette butts from public spaces, under a new government decree. Lisbon will receive the largest allocation, €41,153, while the smallest payment of €325 will go to Alvito. The figures apply to mainland Portugal, with allocations for the autonomous regions still to be determined. According to Jornal de Negócios, the decree sets out for the first time mandatory financial contributions from tobacco producers, calculated according to four territorial categories: urban, semi-urban, rural, and beach areas.

    The payments are based on a proposal by Único – Associação de Gestão de Plásticos de Uso Único, a non-profit body licensed since late 2024 to operate Portugal’s first extended producer responsibility system for waste from filtered tobacco products. Único, whose members include BAT, Imperial Brands, JTI, Landewick, Tabaqueira, and Electrão, said the reform makes companies financially accountable for tobacco-related litter. Beyond funding, producers are also expected to support measures to reduce improper disposal, including public awareness campaigns. The decree further requires Único to submit a national study on urban cleaning waste in 2026, in line with EU guidelines, to help determine whether current cost estimates should be revised under existing European legislation that obliges tobacco producers to finance the clean-up and management of discarded filtered products.

  • JTI Tabs Nelt Group for Albanian Distribution

    JTI Tabs Nelt Group for Albanian Distribution

    Japan Tobacco International (JTI) tabbed Serbian logistics company Nelt Group to handle its distribution in Albania, the company said yesterday (December 22). The partnership has led to the creation of 50 new jobs, according to Nelt’s executive director for the Albanian market, Alban Ujkashej.

    Nelt said the move marks a shift in its business model in Albania, with a dedicated local team established to support the distribution agreement. JTI noted that the partnership strengthens its market position in Albania and builds on existing cooperation with Nelt in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Founded in 1992, Nelt Group operates in 14 countries and expects revenue to rise 9% in 2025 to €1.5 billion.

  • JT Launches EVO Honey Lemon for Ploom

    JT Launches EVO Honey Lemon for Ploom

    Japan Tobacco (JT) introduced the EVO Honey Lemon Crystal, a new flavored smoke stick for its Ploom heated tobacco brand, that will be available in Japan beginning today (December 16) through the CLUB JT online shop and Ploom Shops, followed by a nationwide rollout in convenience stores and tobacco retailers on January 16, 2026.

    The EVO Honey Lemon Crystal “combines lemon-flavored capsules with honey sweetness to offer a balanced, dual-profile sensory experience.” It is compatible with all Ploom devices, sold in packs of 20 sticks at a retail price of JPY 550 ($3.70).

    The launch follows recent additions to the Ploom EVO lineup, including Evo Black Menthol and Evo Fresh Mint (released December 1) and a formula upgrade for Evo Cold Menthol in November, expanding the EVO mint range. JT’s Ploom smoke stick portfolio now totals 27 variants, catering to diverse flavor preferences in Japan’s heated tobacco market.

  • Tobacco Industry Alarmed at Bangladesh’s Policy-Making Exclusion

    Tobacco Industry Alarmed at Bangladesh’s Policy-Making Exclusion

    Bangladesh’s three largest tobacco companies—British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, and JT International—issued a rare joint statement criticizing the government’s move to advance amendments to the Tobacco Control Act without broad stakeholder consultation. The companies said several provisions in the draft ordinance are not evidence-based and would create “far-reaching, negative consequences” for the economy, tax revenue, foreign investment and millions of people connected to the industry.

    The firms argued that proposed ingredient bans would threaten cigarette production entirely, while new retail licensing requirements could disrupt sales for 1.5 million small retailers and impact the livelihoods of 150,000 tobacco farmers. They also warned that prohibiting smokeless nicotine and tobacco products would remove alternatives for adult consumers and likely expand an already growing illicit market, citing experiences in India and Australia.

    Industry leaders urged the government to re-engage manufacturers, farmers, retailers, and other affected groups, noting that previous reforms in 2005 succeeded because of inclusive dialogue. With tobacco tax revenue growth slowing and the sector supporting an estimated 4.4 million livelihoods, the companies called for a “balanced and comprehensive solution” to avoid unintended economic and public-health setbacks.