Spar being investigated by Competition Commission as cigarette war hots up
Supermarket group Spar is being investigated by the Competition Commission after banning SA-produced cigarettes, whose manufacturers are alleged to be tax dodgers, from its shops. The withdrawal is the latest battle in a war being waged between multinational cigarette manufacturers and South African producers, which is being fought through opposing industry groups the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa (Tisa) and the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita). Tisa represents global tobacco giants like British American Tobacco (BAT). Fita's members include South African manufacturers Carnilinx, Gold Leaf Tobacco Corp and Amalgamated Tobacco Manufacturing. Among the cigarette brands banned are RG, Savannah, Pacific and Sahawi. Last week Business Times revealed that BAT was involved in a R143m tax dispute with the South African Revenue Service (Sars), as well as a R2.1bn tax assessment issue with Sars. Despite these disputes, BAT's cigarette brands, which include Peter Stuyve...
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