British American Tobacco and Illicit Cigarette Trade in Africa
Author Information
Author(s): LeGresley E, Lee K, Muggli M E, Patel P, Collin J, Hurt R D
Hypothesis
What is the extent of British American Tobacco's involvement in the illicit trade of cigarettes across Africa?
Conclusion
British American Tobacco has been complicit in cigarette smuggling across Africa, undermining public health and government revenues.
Supporting Evidence
- Documents show that BAT has relied on illegal channels to supply markets across Africa since the 1980s.
- Smuggling has been an important component of BAT’s market entry strategy.
- BAT's internal documents suggest that contraband was central to its corporate strategy across Africa.
- BAT has claimed it does not smuggle, but internal documents contradict this assertion.
- Smuggling undermines public health efforts and weakens government revenue.
Takeaway
British American Tobacco has been sneaky and used illegal ways to sell cigarettes in Africa, which makes it harder for governments to collect taxes and for people to stop smoking.
Methodology
Analysis of internal BAT documents and industry publications.
Potential Biases
The analysis is based on internal documents, which may not provide a complete picture.
Limitations
Limited public availability of documents and the illegal nature of smuggling makes empirical research difficult.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website