Almost 70% of all cigarettes consumed in South Africa now belong to black market brands, turning South Africa into the biggest illicit tobacco market in the world.
This is according to British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) general manager in South Africa Johnny Moloto, who told Fin24 that the tobacco giant and the sector at large would have a long road to recovery from the government's lockdown ban on tobacco.
Research institutions including Pavaddo and Ipsos have warned that restrictions on tobacco trade globally failed to significantly curb the consumption of cigarettes and allowed illicit cigarettes to gain a foothold in the market.