|
|
|
Tobacconist Christine Spencer-Nestor says snuff is not only popular with older customers, but also younger buyers
|
Why an Old Favourite is Back in Fashion in Cigarette-Free Bars
THE increasing trend of introducing no-smoking bans could provide a lifeline for one of Liverpool's oldest factories, Ogdens in West Derby Road.
The plant employs 150 producing pipe tobacco and snuff, both viewed as declining products in the 21st Century.
Despite the trend for more trendy cigarettes, Ogdens last year produced more than 400 tonnes of pipe tobacco and 60 tonnes of snuff.
The snuff output compared to 75 tonnes a year earlier, with analysts wondering when the old product will become uneconomical to produce.
To most people, the talking of snuff may seem like a bygone past-time from a more sedate Victorian age, when ladies would use it as an alternative to cigarettes and others used snuff laced with menthol to clear their airways.
The Liverpool tobacco factory could soon be enjoying a renaissance if comments from tobacconists are anything to go by.
The growth of snuff sales has been witnessed at Liverpool's last remaining traditional Turmeaus, which opened in the 1830s in Water Street.
Manageress Christine Spencer-Nestor said: "Snuff is still popular and, although most of our customers are older people, it is becoming increasingly used by younger people.
"Those going on long journeys find snuff is a good alternative to a cigarette because it is not breaking the law to use it.
"It is also being used more and more by people who go to places where smoking not allowed. The snuff gives them the same lift as a cigarette."
Ogdens, which has traded since the 1860s from West Derby Road, Truebrook, says that a growing ban on smoking in public places across the world has led to more interest being shown in snuff.
Increasingly, public transport, airplanes and even shopping centres are imposing fines for those causght smoking while, Liverpool is considering a blanket ban in bars, restaurants and other areas just like New York and across Ireland.
Ms Spencer-Nestor added: "We get a lot of tourists coming into the shop buying snuff, particularly visitors from Holland and Africa."
Ogdens says people who are finding it harder to light up in public places have discovered it is not illegal to use snuff - even where cigarettes are prohibited.
The company says this means younger people seem to be using it as an alternative, joining the more traditional older users of the product.
Ogdens is one of the smallest production units in the Imperial Tobacco group and, thanks to its pipe tobacco and snuff, has played its part in helping the company see a 20% rise in its half-year profits to more than £450m in the past six month.
Steady sales of pipe tobacco and snuff will help keep the factory going, staff in West Derby Road believe.
That is despite its output being dwarfed by the 26 billion cigarettes made by Imperial, mostly at its modern plant in Nottingham.
The company is also watching with interest the debate taking place in Liverpool to make the city the UK's first area to ban smoking in public places. "Overall, we have not seen any evidence that smoking bans, as such, cause material reductions in tobacco consumption.
"Our view is that the issue should be resolved by common sense, courtesy and practical solutions, such as well-ventilated smoking and no-smoking areas." said chief executive Gareth Davis.
Imperial says it is too early to assess the impact of the recently-introduced rules on smoking in public places in teh Irish Republic.
Thomas Ogden originally started his tobacco business in Liverpool in 1860 and, within a few years, had a chain of shops and a factory in St James Street.
In 1901, American tobacco king James Buchanan Duke walked into the Ogdens factory and bought it on the spot.
It was handed to rivals Imperial a year later to head off a trade war.
Snuff is a relatively new product for Ogdens, with production only being switched there in 1989 from Sheffield.
The West Derby Road site stopped making cigarettes in 1962, and concentrated instead on pipe tobacco.
Imperial results yesterday showed it succeeded in raising its share of the UK roll-your-own tobacco market, where it sells Drum and Golden Virginia, to 65.1% from 64.2% previously.
UK operating profits rose 18% to £209m, representing 37% of group-adjusted operating profits in the first half to March 31.
The group said in January that it was closing three factories in central Europe and cutting 940 jobs.
It had also cut about a further 700 jobs from its global 16,000 strong workforce, including 60 at its site in Nottingham. So far Liverpool has escaped any cuts.
Imperial said most of the cuts had already taken place and were spread across "quite a number of facilities."
"The trading outlook for the group for the current financial year remains in line with our expectations." said Mr Davis.
- Daily Post
|
