Japan Tobacco International (JTI) cigarette shipments fell 3.6 per cent in the second quarter as demand plummeted in states of the former Soviet Union. However the company said it shipped more of its best-selling brands.

Winston shipments rose 3.9 per cent to 37.2 billion sticks and Camel increased 0.2 per cent to 13.7 billion. Mevius, the brand that parent company JT wants to make a world leader, posted a 6.8 per cent rise to 5 billion sticks. Shipments of LD fell 7.3 per cent to 12.1 billion sticks. JTI said. The data includes fine-cut volume.
Global brand shipments increased 0.5 per cent to represent 74.8 billion of the 101.5 billion sticks shipped by JTI in the second quarter. Volume in the Russian Commonwealth fell 10.6 per cent to 35 billion sticks.
Cost cutting improved operating profit, which increased 7.2 per cent to USD 929 million (EUR 786 million) despite adverse currency movements, according to JTI. Sales fell 2.1 per cent to USD 2.7 billion.