August 14, 2001
Philip Morris International announced today that it had entered into an agreement with Imperial Tobacco Limited for the distribution and sale of Marlboro cigarettes in the United Kingdom. This move follows the termination of a license agreement for Marlboro between Philip Morris and the Rothmans (UK) Partnership, an affiliate of BAT.
Commenting on the new arrangement, Hans Fluri, President, Philip Morris European Union Region, said: "We are delighted that Imperial will distribute and market our flagship Marlboro brand in this important market. We are optimistic that Imperial's distribution capabilities will enable us to sustain and accelerate the growth of Marlboro in a key European market."
Gareth Davis, Chief Executive Imperial Tobacco Group, said: "We are very pleased to add Marlboro to the portfolio of cigarette brands we sell in the UK. It complements our Virginia blend products by adding the world's best-selling premium American blend cigarette, which has strong growth potential in the UK. Our extensive retail coverage means Marlboro will now have much broader penetration in this market."
The agreement will take effect in mid-September when the Marlboro license agreement between Philip Morris and Rothmans (UK) Partnership terminates.
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