Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is to take advantage of the growing popularity of its British cigarette brands, such as number one seller Mayfair, by raising the price of a 20-pack by GBP 0.10 to 0.12 from 24 November.

UK managing director of JT International Daniel Torras told reporters on Wednesday that higher tobacco leaf costs were behind the price rises. The maker of Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut cigarettes in Britain said market share gains had prompted it to go ahead with price rises of nearly three per cent now, as it looks to take the lead on pricing from arch-rival Imperial Tobacco.
"Our goal is to be number one in the UK and we expect to close the gap over the next few years," Torras said.
Rivals including Imperial and British American Tobacco said they had no plans to follow the price rises.
Japan Tobacco bought British cigarette company Gallaher in 2007 and the world's third-largest cigarette maker is spending over GBP 80 million (EUR 88.5 million) in the four years to 2011 to boost market share in Britain, one of its top five markets.
Torras said JTI's market share in Britain rose to 40.5 per cent in the year to September from 39.3 per cent in the prior year, while, his figures showed, Lambert & Butler maker Imperial fell to 42.6 per cent from 44 per cent. (pi)