BAT announces 3 percent hike in cigarettes prices

British American Tobacco Malaysia (BAT Malaysia) has announced a three per cent increase in the prices of all its cigarette brands effective June 3, 2013.

Commenting on the price increases, Datuk William Toh, Managing Director, BAT Malaysia said, "As with all other companies, BAT Malaysia is faced with inflationary pressures, labour and input costs, resulting in rising operating costs over time.”

In addition, the legal tobacco industry volumes are also affected by continuing high levels of illicit trade (in 2012 at 34.5 per cent) which has impacted our sales of legal cigarettes, he said in a statement today.

“To overcome mounting costs and illicit trade pressures we have decided to take a small 3.0 per cent price increase on all our cigarette brands,” Datuk Toh added.

The new cigarette prices, effective Monday, June 3, are as follows:

DUNHILL range RM 10.50 KENT range RM 10.50 BENSON & HEDGES RM 10.50 PETER STUYVESANT range RM 9.00 PALL MALL range RM 9.00 PALL MALL Plain RM10.90 LUCKY STRIKE PLAIN RM10.90 ROTHMANS INTERNATIONAL RM10.90.

BAT Malaysia is part of the British American Tobacco group, which is the worlds most international tobacco group and the second largest stock market listed tobacco group by global market share.