Retailers should capitalise on the growing economy sector of the tobacco category in 2015, according to Imperial Tobacco.
The company says that with little sign of the challenging economic conditions easing, 2014 has seen retail sales of the below value sector rising in both the FMC (Factory Manufactured Cigarette) and RYO (Roll Your Own) sectors of the category.
Jo Wren, Head of Consumer Marketing at Imperial Tobacco said: “2014 has been a fantastic year for our economy brands across the category. Player’s Gold Leaf, which remains the UK’s fastest growing RYO brand, currently has a market share just shy of 11% and has seen phenomenal growth over the last twelve months as many smokers are increasingly choosing to control their spend on tobacco products. In addition to this we’ve also seen a rise in the number of tobacco shoppers purchasing reduced pack sizes which contain a combination of tips and papers or both.”
Wren said that Imperial’s programme of research continued to show that consumers – whether buying cigarettes or RYO products – are increasingly seeking great quality tobacco brands at a lower out of pocket price. “With 2015 just around the corner the expectation is that the below value sector will continue to soar and so we’re advising retailers to understand local market trends and stock up now,” she added.
