A Better Tomorrow™
Transforming our business
We have a clear purpose to build A Better Tomorrow™ by reducing the health impact of our business. Put simply, smokers must have access to better choices.
Our strategic aim is to progressively transform our portfolio by actively encouraging adult smokers to switch to less risky products*† compared to smoking; a transformation delivering long-term multi-stakeholder value.
The video below explains more about what A Better Tomorrow™ means for us.
Our journey so far
BAT was founded in 1902 and was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1912. A constituent of the FTSE 100 since its creation in 1984, we have evolved, becoming the only truly global company in our sector.
Today, that evolution continues. We know combustible products pose serious health risks. The only way to avoid those risks is to not start – or to quit – smoking. That’s why we are changing: creating new products, backed by science, that provide adult smokers with less risky alternatives*†.
Portfolio transformation
We will build A Better Tomorrow™ through a multi-category portfolio of non-combustible products, tailored to meet the preferences of adult consumers.
We are moving our revenue streams – becoming a business that defines itself, not by the product it sells, but by the consumer needs that it meets. We are creating the brands of the future – brands with purpose.
Our focus on scientifically-substantiated, reduced-risk*† tobacco and nicotine products continues – and we will not stop there.
We are expanding our portfolio ‘beyond nicotine’. That means delivering products that stimulate the senses of adult consumers, while enhancing satisfaction, enjoyment and wellbeing.
By driving value from our combustibles business - and simplifying our organisation – we will accelerate this ambitious transformation.
Our purpose-centred strategy
Our mission
Stimulating the senses of new adult generations
Today, we see opportunities to capture consumer moments which have, over time, become limited by societal and regulatory shifts, and to satisfy evolving consumer needs and preferences.
Our mission is to anticipate and satisfy this ever-evolving consumer: provide pleasure, reduce risk, increase choice and stimulate the senses of adult consumers worldwide.
How we win
Must wins - Where
High Growth Segments
Driven by our unique and data-driven consumer insight platform (PRISM), we will focus on product categories and consumer segments across our global business that have the best potential for long-term sustainable growth.
Priority Markets
By relying on a rigorous market prioritisation system (MAPS), we will focus the strengths of our unparalleled retail and marketing reach, as well as our regulatory and scientific expertise, on those markets and marketplaces with the greatest opportunities for growth.
How we win
Inspirational foresights
Built on our successful history, we have a unique view of the consumer across all of our product categories, which is increasingly driven by powerful data and analytics. These insights ensure that the development and responsible marketing of our products are fit to satisfy consumer needs.
Remarkable innovation
As consumer preferences and technology evolve rapidly, we rely on our growing global network of digital hubs, innovation super centres, world-class R&D laboratories, external partnerships and our corporate venturing initiative to stay ahead of the curve.
Powerful brands
For over a century, we have built trusted and powerful brands that satisfy our consumers and serve as a promise for quality and enjoyment. We will build the brands of the future by focusing on fewer, stronger and global brands across all our product categories, delivered through our deep understanding and segmenting of our consumers.
Connected organisation
Few companies can claim the global reach that we have. Cultivating an ecosystem that directly connects us with consumers and stakeholders, especially through the power of digital technology, ensures we can build the brands of the future, deliver access to markets and foster innovations that offer sensorial enjoyment and satisfy consumer needs.
People and partnerships
Our highly-motivated people are being empowered through a new ethos that is responsive to constant change, embodies a learning culture and is dedicated to continuous improvement. But we cannot succeed on our own, and our partnerships with farmers, suppliers and customers are also key for ensuring sustainable future growth.
U.S. focus
The United States comprises nearly half of our global business. It is also the single largest economy in the world, the largest single centre for technology and the key driver of global consumer trends, and is where we have the deep consumer understanding and financial strength to support the delivery of our mission to stimulate consumer senses around the rest of the world.
Our purpose
By stimulating the senses of new adult generations, our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow™ for all our stakeholders.
We will create A Better Tomorrow™ for Consumers, Society, Employees and Shareholders.
Key stakeholder outcomes
Consumers
By responsibly offering enjoyable and stimulating choices for every mood and every moment, today and tomorrow;
Society
By reducing the health impact of our business by offering a range of alternative products, as well as by reducing our environmental and social impacts;
Employees
By creating a dynamic, inspiring and purposeful place to work; and
Shareholders & investors
By delivering sustainable and superior returns.
Ethos
Our purpose is to build a better tomorrow by reducing the health impact of our business through offering a greater choice of enjoyable and less-risky products for our consumers.
A key driver to deliver this will be our Ethos – an evolution of our Guiding Principles – which guides behaviours across the entire Group.
Short-Term Deliverables to Fuel A Better Tomorrow™
Simplify the Business
Our ongoing simplification programme, Project Quantum, which had realised £1.9 billion of annualised savings through simplification and efficiencies by the end of 2022.
Ensure a Step Change in New Categories Performance
With our unique cross-category consumer understanding we are clear there is a huge opportunity for our New Categories.
Drive Value From Combustibles
We drive value from combustibles to fuel our investment in, and transition revenue to, New Categories.
We’re making progress
Our ambition remains to have 50 million consumers of our non-combustible products by 2030 and to accelerate the growth of our New Category revenues at a faster rate than our total revenue, reaching £5 billion in 2025.
We have already made good progress towards these targets: we increased consumers of non-combustible brands by 4.2 million in 2022, reaching 22.5 million. Revenue from these products accounts for 14.8% of Group revenue, as at 31 December 2022.
In September 2021, we further demonstrated our progress as Vuse became the number one global vaping brand.***
Enterprise of the future
The BAT of tomorrow will be a high-growth, consumer goods company: global, consumer-centric, multi-category, with sustainability at our core.
We are no longer just a tobacco company. By combining existing and new capabilities, we are radically redefining our organisation.
Digital transformation, technology, and innovation will drive that transition. And it will be actioned by our people, through our culture and ethos. Bold, fast, empowered, responsible and diverse.
Together, we will build A Better Tomorrow™.
* Based on the weight of evidence and assuming a complete switch from cigarette smoking. These products are not risk free and are addictive.
† Our Vapour product Vuse (including Alto, Solo, Ciro and Vibe), and certain products, including Velo, Grizzly, Kodiak, and Camel Snus, which are sold in the U.S., are subject to FDA regulation and no reduced-risk claims will be made as to these products without agency clearance.
**At constant rates of exchange
*** Based on Vype/Vuse estimated value share from RRP in measured retail for vapour (i.e. total vapour category value in retail sales) in the USA, Canada, France, UK, Germany. These five markets cover an estimated 77% of global vapour closed system NTO, calculated in June – July 2021.
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