No mini pack proposal, say tobacco companies

PETALING JAYA: Tobacco companies have denied that there is a proposal to introduce small cigarette packs in Malaysia.

British American Tobacco Malaysia said the proposal was to allow the sale of smaller packs of 10 sticks to adult smokers.

It was replying by email to The Star’s front page recently that tobacco companies were pushing for the smaller packs to be reintroduced in the market.

“There is a difference. Firstly, there is a segment of adult smokers who have chosen to continue smoking and because they are unable to afford a pack at RM17, they have resorted to smoking illegal cigarettes at RM3 to RM5,” it said.

The objective of smaller packs is to provide a more affordable legal alternative to this segment of adult smokers, it said.

“The biggest threat to our business is illegal cigarettes that have up to 60% of the market share.”

It argued that excise duty on cigarettes had increased significantly but statistics showed that total consumption of cigarettes had increased as people opted for illegal cigarettes.

JT International (JTI Malaysia) argued that illegal cigarettes that have flooded close to 60% of the market have caused youths to start smoking.

Three million out of the estimated five million smokers in the country are now smoking contraband products, it claimed, and impacting legal businesses and government revenue.