{"id":543,"date":"2025-04-23T14:15:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T13:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/tcrg\/?p=543"},"modified":"2025-05-01T12:24:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T11:24:21","slug":"bat-answers-questions-on-lobbying-tax-and-health-warnings-at-its-agm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/tcrg\/2025\/04\/23\/bat-answers-questions-on-lobbying-tax-and-health-warnings-at-its-agm\/","title":{"rendered":"BAT answers questions on lobbying, tax and health warnings at its AGM"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Phil Chamberlain<\/a> of the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

It is all about the words.<\/p>\n

British American Tobacco\u2019s (BAT) Annual General Meeting (AGM) was a slick affair in the basement of a central London hotel where Chair Luc Jobin outlined its 2024 activities and its plans for 2025.<\/p>\n

There were around 100 people in the auditorium including BAT staff, private shareholders and proxies, portfolio managers and corporate guests. Of course the majority of shares are owned by investment vehicles such as pension funds.<\/p>\n

Taking up three seats near the front and right in Jobin\u2019s eyeline were representatives from the Tobacco Control Research Group<\/a> (TCRG) and Action on Smoking and Health<\/a> (ASH). TCRG had been given a proxy share and so were allowed to attend and ask questions.<\/p>\n

Firstly though was Jobin\u2019s address which was proceeded with a warning that no recording or pictures should be taken.<\/p>\n

It was interesting to note what was in the 1,853 words of the address \u2013 and what was not.<\/p>\n

Among the top words and phrases were \u201ctobacco harm reduction\u201d (eight mentions), \u201cprogressive\u201d as in legislation which BAT likes (four mentions), \u201cgrowth\u201d (four mentions) and \u201cstrategic\u201d (five mentions). There were no mentions of cancer, addiction, death, bribery, lobbying or smuggling.<\/p>\n

What did top the charts was \u201cnew categories\u201d as in new products (four mentions) and \u201csmokeless\u201d with 12 mentions.<\/p>\n

As chief executive Tadeu Marroco admitted to a question asked by ASH, more than 95% of BAT\u2019s profits come from combustibles. That is cigarettes.<\/p>\n

Yet combustibles and cigarettes each only got one mention in the Chair\u2019s address. Smokeless and new categories, these catch-all term for products such as its nicotine pouches, were given the star treatment.<\/p>\n

In the printed copy of Jobin\u2019s address handed out afterwards there were an additional 1,007 words of legal notes and definitions.<\/p>\n

This started by saying: \u201cSmokeless products\/alternatives refers to smokeless tobacco and nicotine products, including Vapour products, Heated Products and Modern Oral products, which are collectively termed New Categories, as well as Traditional Oral products.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the questions that followed one word kept jumping out \u2013 \u201cdialogue\u201d.<\/p>\n

BAT are keen to speak with regulators. They are keen to speak with the public health authorities. We sensed there was a tone of regret in Jobin\u2019s voice as he said that some countries had brought in laws offering \u201csolutions which look great on the surface\u201d but in reality had a very different effect. Australia was singled out here. Instead it was, that phrase again, \u201cprogressive regulation\u201d and also \u201csmart regulation\u201d that was needed.<\/p>\n

And when asked why BAT has not complied with laws on putting graphic health warnings on its nicotine pouches in Kenya it was because laws had not kept pace with these \u201cnew categories\u201d. That is why \u201cdialogue\u201d was needed, so \u201csmart regulation\u201d could be brought in.<\/p>\n

Last year BAT launched Omni, a marketing effort to sell its smokeless products narrative. As part of that it set up a Tobacco Harm Reduction Advisory Group so it could hear a \u201cdiverse\u201d set of voices.\u00a0 One of those was ex UK government minister Penny Mordaunt<\/a>, paid an unknown amount to contribute towards this \u201cdialogue\u201d.<\/p>\n

One shareholder told the meeting he was pleased to hear of this appointment and recalled another ex-government minister Ken Clarke who was on the BAT board and proudly pictured puffing on a cigar. Perhaps we might see Mordaunt similarly pictured, he inquired.<\/p>\n

However, that did not seem to be the dialogue the board wanted to engage in, instead it was back to talk of the \u201cnew categories\u201d, \u201csmokeless\u201d and \u201cdialogues\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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