Ngokokuqala ngqa, i- Ugwayi waseMelika waseBrithani inkampani ine ngaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-20 vaping amakhasimende. Lesi yingqopha-mlando entsha emlandweni we-FTSE 100 Company. Kusukela kwasungulwa ugwayi wokuqala eminyakeni eyishumi edlule izinkampani zikagwayi eziningi bezifuna izindlela zokufinyelela ikusasa elingabhemi.
I-BAT ibike ukuthi amakhasimende angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-2.1 manje asebenzisa imikhiqizo yawo “engashi”. Lokhu kufaka phakathi ugwayi we-elekthronikhi, izinemfu, nama-vapes. Lokhu kwenze ingqikithi yenani lamakhasimende avela emhlabeni wonke akhethe imikhiqizo yokushisisa ugwayi yeqa uphawu lwezigidi ezingu-20 okokuqala ngqa. Manje isamba samakhasimende ayizigidi ezingu-20.4 asebenzisa le mikhiqizo.
Umhlaba ubusebenzela ukufinyelela ikusasa elingenantuthu ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka. Namuhla abantu abaningi basebenzisa ama-vape njengendlela yokuyeka ukubhema. E-UK ama-vapes akhulunywe isikhathi eside ngaphansi kwe Uhlelo lwe-NHS lokuyeka ukubhema. Lokhu kuwumphumela wemiphumela le mikhiqizo eye yaba nayo ekusizeni ababhemayo abayimilutha ukuba bayeke lo mkhuba.
Kodwa-ke, ama-vapes neminye imikhiqizo yokushisisa ugwayi ibe nezingxabano eziningi esikhathini esidlule. Ngenxa yamaphakheji abo akhangayo, ama-flavour amaningi, kanye neqiniso lokuthi azikhiqizi noma iyiphi intuthu le mikhiqizo ithole kalula indlela yayo ezandleni zentsha kanye nezingane. Ohulumeni abaningi emhlabeni jikelele baphoqeleke ukuthi bashaye imithetho emisha ekhuphula iminyaka esemthethweni yokuthenga nokusebenzisa le mikhiqizo iye eminyakeni engama-21 ngemuva kokuthi ithandeke kakhulu entsheni.
Naphezu kwalokhu kufudumala kufakazela ukushintsha kwemikhiqizo ye-BAT yokushisisa ugwayi. Umkhiqizo wayo we-vape ohamba phambili, inzuzo kaVuse ikhule ngo-48% yafinyelela ku-£590 million. Ukuthengiswa okuphelele kwemikhiqizo yokushisisa ugwayi kukhule ngo-6% kwaze kwafinyelela ku-£13 billion.
Kodwa-ke, lokhu akusho ukuthi i-BAT isiyinkampani ekhipha umphunga. Ingxenye enkulu yenzuzo yayo isavela emikhiqizweni kagwayi yendabuko efana nemikhiqizo yaseDunhill neLucky Strike. I-CEO yeNkampani uJack Bowles ikholelwa ukuthi inkampani idinga ukuhlala isungula izinto ezintsha njengoba ingavikelekile “ezingcindezini ezikhulayo zomnotho omkhulu, ezibhebhethekiswa izingxabano zase-Ukraine.” Lapho ukukhuphuka kwezindleko zokuphila kwehlisa kwekhasimende ukuthenga amandla inkampani enawo ukunikeza imikhiqizo amakhasimende asengakwazi ukuwakhokhela. Yingakho inkampani ihlela ukunikeza a alahlwayo inguqulo ye-Vuse.
I-Bowles iqinisekisa amakhasimende kanye nabatshalizimali ukuthi inkampani "isesimweni esihle sokuzulazula esimweni samanje esinesiyaluyalu ngenxa yemikhiqizo yethu enamandla, ukusebenza kahle, kanye nokuqhubeka nokukhiqiza imali eqinile."
