Summarising today's announcement Alison Cooper, Chief Executive, will say:
"Our continued focus on realising opportunities from our total tobacco portfolio supported by innovation and price optimisation has delivered underlying tobacco net revenue growth of 3 per cent in the first quarter.
"Combined stick equivalent volumes of our key strategic brands Davidoff, Gauloises Blondes, West and JPS were up 3 per cent and net revenues up 10 per cent with our focus on consumer relevant innovation and new formats driving growth in these brands in cigarette in emerging markets and fine cut tobacco in the EU.
"Delivering the planned acceleration in our underlying sales momentum whilst continuing to realise cost and cash opportunities remain our priorities such that we are well placed to create further value for our shareholders this year."
