THE South African arm of British American Tobacco (BAT) is looking to restructure the business, a process that may affect about 200 jobs, following a further decline in its cigarette sales in the country, it said on Monday.
The Dunhill and Peter Stuyvesant cigarette maker said the drop in cigarette sales in South Africa was almost entirely due to the growth of the illicit cigarette trade.
South Africa’s “unconstitutional ban” on cigarette sales implemented during the national Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 also contributed, a company spokesperson said.
“The 2020 tobacco sales ban resulted in an explosion of growth for the illicit market. This has continued even after the ban on tobacco sales was lifted,” the company said in a statement.
During the lockdown, essential services retailers and petrol station forecourt stores were not allowed to sell alcohol or cigarettes.
BAT did not give details of how it would restructure its
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