The South African arm of British American Tobacco (BAT) is looking to restructure the business, a process that may affect about 200 jobs, after 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 sales in South Africa was almost entirely due to the growth in the illicit cigarette trade.
The unconstitutional ban on cigarette sales implemented during the 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 after the ban on tobacco sales was lifted, the company said.
During the lockdown, retailers were not allowed to sell alcoho…
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