Focus On Tobacco and Accessories: 19 February

By Matt Chittock matt.chittocknew@googlemail.com 

Publishing: 19 February 2022
Advertising deadline: 4 February 2022
Submissions deadline: 28 January 2022

Despite a rise in sales volumes over 2021 [NielsenIQ], tobacco is in managed decline in the UK. Rising duty costs, marketing restrictions and changing attitudes to health continue to contribute to the cigarette’s fall in popularity. But there remains an untapped segment of the tobacco market: heated. Working at a lower temperature than cigarettes, some tobacco companies argue they are healthier – to scepticism from independent sources. Either way, they are popular in overseas markets, notably Japan. So is there a potential market for heated in the UK? Does the evidence for it being safer than cigarettes hold up? And could suppliers overcome the legislative and tax barriers to make it work?

Supplier pivots: Many big names in tobacco have signalled they are hoping to ditch the smokes, with some investing in vaping and other tobacco alternatives. How is this trend playing out in practice, and will we really see a smoke free future?

Illicit trade: The supply chain crisis, pandemic travel restrictions and Brexit have all affected the illicit trade for tobacco, especially when it comes to rolled. What impact has this had on its legal counterpart?

Accessories: Given the constraints on tobacco advertising and display, accessories offer brands a chance to add excitement to the category. So what are the latest developments?

Innovations: Profile of four new products or ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.