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| Sunday, 2 November 2003 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Rs. 900m loss to Govt. from smuggled cigarettes The Government loses an estimated Rs. 900 million a year in revenue due to the increasing presence of counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes in the marketplace, Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) told a news conference recently. Of the smuggled products that are available in the market, a product called 'Gold Seal' appears to be dominating the local market. This brand has the somewhat similar specifications as the John Player Gold Leaf cigarette, legally produced by CTC, and is sold at a lower price than the legal product. The problem appears to be compounded by the presence of counterfeit John Player Gold Leaf in the marketplace. The counterfeit cigarettes appear to resemble the legal cigarette in several aspects. CTC claims that a deliberate misinformation campaign is being carried out by those who are engaged in this illegal trade of marketing counterfeit Gold Leaf and Gold Seal stating that the taste of the legal product has changed. The company highlighted at the news conference that it is keen to create awareness among adult consumers who have chosen to smoke that they should be mindful of the presence of counterfeit Gold Leaf. Customers were advised to purchase their cigarettes from reputed outlets and request for John Player Gold Leaf manufactured by Ceylon Tobacco. The company also reiterates the need to strictly enforce laws pertaining to smuggled and counterfeit products, which is causing a tremendous loss of revenue to the Government and depriving a legally established company of its market share. |
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