Cigarettes sales continue to fall

A few tobacco companies managed to escape the downturn, but most were affected negatively one way or another. This trend can be attributed to rising excise tax that is expected to go up again next year by 15% and cigarette smuggling in the northern and eastern part of Poland. Among the worst hit companies are Altadis Polska that lost 9.9% in sales and Imperial Tobacco. The few winners proved to be unexpectedly Gallaher, which thanks to its retailers loyalty program boosted sales from 2.2% last year to 5.3% this August, Scandinavian Tobacco whose sales rose within a year by 3.45% and Phillip Morris that earned a dominant position in the expanding market of tobacco for rolling. (Puls Biznesu p. 10) M.G.