Annual report 2004 (English) - PDF 3546K - Imperial Tobacco

28
Spain
Higher revenues
The Spanish market rose 1.4% overall in 2004, buoyed
by increased cross-border sales and sales to tourists,
which were up 11.8%. These markets represented 16.5%
of total sales, and were primarily driven by international
brands. Within this environment, and despite fl atness
in purely national consumption, Altadis’ revenues rose
by 1.8% but the Group’s market share slipped slightly,
to 27.5%.
Fortuna, the leader in the blond segment ever since
its launch 30 years ago, held its ground against strong
competition both from international brands and
low-price brands, and maintained its number-one ranking
in the segment with a market share of 21%. Sales totaled
16,335 million units and revenues gained 0.2%.
Nobel, after several years of brisk growth, maintained
its good sales record of the preceding year. With a 5.3%
market share and 4,514 million units sold, the brand
reinforced its number-one position in the low-tar-andnicotine
segment.
Gauloises Blondes, although its market share (0.3%)
was still quite small, continued to make very signifi cant
gains: its sales volume rose by 38.5% and revenues
increased by 47.4%. The Group’s leading international
brand is enlarging the Altadis brand portfolio in
the Spanish market.
France
In the dark cigarette market, which has been subject to
the same taxes (and therefore the same price increases) as
blond cigarettes for the past two years, the ongoing decline
JAVIER MORENO GIL
Cigarette Sales and Distribution
Director, Spain
“ Our dynamism enabled
Fortuna to remain
the leading brand in
the Spanish market,
outrunning the major
international brands.”
Altadis’ sales and market share in the blond
segment in Spain
2003 2004 Change
FORTUNA
Market share (%) 22.6 21 -1.6pt
Sales volume (million units) 17,285 16,335 -5.5%
NOBEL
Market share (%) 5.9 5.8 -0.1pt
Sales volume (million units) 4,524 4,514 -0,2 %
GAULOISES BLONDES
Market share (%) 0.2 0.3 +0.1pt
Sales volume (million units) 183 253 +38.5%
TOTAL
Market share (%) 29.0 27.5 -1.5pt
Sales volume (million units) 22,175 21,297 -4.0%
Dark cigarettes:
ongoing decline in sales
In addition, several new products were launched in 2004:
News and Diana, a cigarette with a Virginia-tobacco
taste, in order to take advantage of rising cross-border
sales and tourist demand;
Ducados “Rubio”, a blond cigarette, was test-launched
in four Spanish provinces. Altadis intends to take
advantage of the well-established image of the dark
market’s leading brand with this new product in the
buoyant blond segment.
23.1%
Altadis market
share in the blond
segment in Spain
picked up steam. Sales volume for dark cigarettes slipped
28.1% compared with 23.7% in 2003. Gauloises now
accounts for 67.9% of the market, and Gitanes 30.7%.