British American Tobacco to cut 9,000 jobs

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. British American Tobacco to cut 9,000 jobsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, BAT said it was cutting costs to future-proof the businessByEmer MoreauBusiness reporterPublished6 minutes agoBritish American Tobacco (BAT) is to cut nearly a fifth of its global workforce as part of a major cost-cutting drive. The company, which makes Lucky Strike and Dunhill cigarettes, is cutting 5,500 roles and outsourcing 3,500 more. BAT did not say where the jobs being cut were located, but added that the US was not affected.

The cost-cutting programme is expected to save about £600m a year by 2028, it added. The tobacco giant, which currently employs 47,000 people globally, had previously announced a savings drive that would involve making it "more digital and AI-focused". Traditional cigarette sales are shrinking as smokers increasingly switch to vapes and nicotine pouches.

BAT said the job cuts, which have already started, are set to be completed by the end of this year. Chief executive Tadeu Marroco said the cuts would make the company "more agile, cost disciplined and technology enabled". "These changes affect many of our colleagues, and we are focused on supporting them through this transition with care and respect, as we position the business for the future.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.