Death Marketing -2

JTI goes wild to get berth

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has started violating the amended tobacco control law desperately to market their ‘Winston’ cigarette brand. Aiming to attract smokers and customers, cigarette selling boxes are prepared resembling the Winston cigarette packet. Besides, to promote the brand, the cigarette sellers are receiving BDT 20 as hard cash against each of the empty boxes they return to the company representatives. The retail cigarette sellers are buying a packet of Winston cigarette (containing 20 cigarette sticks) at BDT 106 – 108 and its retail price is BDT 120. Thereby, the retail cigarette sellers are making a profit of BDT 32 – 34 at a time by selling a packet of Winston cigarette and the profits is almost thrice comparing the other cigarette brands (like the BATB brands). It is also reported that the company will hike the hard cash amount with other gift items from near future. Notably, to promote this aggressive death-marketing, JTI and Dhaka Tobacco Industry (DTI) together have signed MoU with the name of sharing information, research and development. Such activities of the tobacco companies should be stopped by strictly implementing the amended tobacco control act.