There’s plenty of activity in the roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco market this summer. Imperial Tobacco has launched a 9g pouch of JPS RYO tobacco, which it says enables smokers to make 22 hand-rolled cigarettes for less than £3.

Standard stock of the new tobacco is available now while price-marked packs launch in mid-September. With a recommended retail price of £2.99, the 9g pouch replaces the existing 12.5g pouch; 25g and 50g packs of JPS RYO will continue to be available.

Ryan Hopkins, senior brand manager fine cut tobacco at Imperial Tobacco, said the introduction of JPS RYO 9g is perfect for adult smokers who are now shopping little and often.

"As the popularity of smaller packs continues to increase, we saw a real opportunity to introduce JPS RYO 9g." The tobacco offers retailers a strong margin of 13.11%.

Meanwhile, British American Tobacco (BAT) has launched Pall Mall RYO 20g with papers in the pack. The move is designed to strengthen existing market share but is also expected to drive more sales for the brand, which the company says is currently at number eight in RYO’s top 10 brands (Nielsen YTD April 2014). The £6.20 price-marked pack boldly states: ’Makes approx 50 rollies’.

"Pall Mall RYO is BAT’s price fighter," said Fiona Biggs, Pall Mall brand executive. "Smokers are looking for great value. Tobacco retailers are looking for a strong return. And growth in the 20g-25g segment is driven by papers in pouch offerings," she added.

"So when we were considering ways to upgrade Pall Mall 20g, we decided to offer an upgrade that would give wholesalers and retailers more of an opportunity to cash in on this growth phenomenon."

Finally, JTI has launched new limited-edition packs for Amber Leaf. The packs, available this month for four weeks only, feature a letterpress design. JTI head of communications, Jeremy Blackburn, said the limited editions build on the success of last year’s ’Handcrafted Moments’ campaign. "Our 2014 limited-edition packs have been carefully created using one of Britain’s top letterpress artists to reinforce Amber Leaf’s quality and craftsmanship credentials."

BAT: 0800 444236 www.bat.com

Imperial: 0117 963 6636

www.imperial-tobacco.com

JTI: 0800 163 503 www.tobaccoretailing.com

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