The Top 5 Best Selling Brands of Cigarettes Worldwide

The Marlboro Brand is a Sales Giant in U.S. Tobacco

Marlboro has been the world's number one cigarette brand since 1972. Marlboro's volume outside the United States was 302.0 billion cigarettes in the year 2009. It is larger than its next three competitors combined, and its volume exceeds that of the top four global drive brands of British American Tobacco and the four global focus brands of Japan Tobacco International. In the United States it is the number one cigarette brand in every state and the number one cigarette brand for men and women across all adult age groups. In 2017 Marlboro's share was larger than the next seven U.S. cigarette brands combined at 40%. It was also larger than the two largest competitors, R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard, combined. In 2009, Marlboro's share of the cigarette market was 41.8%.

Japan Tobacco's principal activities are the manufacture, sale and import of tobacco. It manufactures brands including Camel, Mild Seven, Salem and Winston. The Group is also involved in the manufacture of soft drinks and processed foods. Mild Seven's global sales declined by 3% in 2009.

In 2007, an estimated 70.9 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) users of a tobacco product. This represents 28.6 percent of the population in that age range. In addition, 60.1 million persons (24.2 percent of the population) were current cigarette smokers; 13.3 million (5.4 percent) smoked cigars; 8.1 million (3.2 percent) used smokeless tobacco; and 2.0 million (0.8 percent) smoked tobacco in pipes.

Marlboro is the number one cigarette brand in every state and the number one cigarette brand for men and women across all adult age groups. In 2008 Marlboro's market share was larger than the next 17 competitive cigarette brands combined.

Approximately 85 percent of cigarette smokers aged 12 to 25 smoked one of the three most used brands in the United States, whereas smokers aged 26 or older reported more diversity in cigarette brand selection. White and Hispanic smokers were most likely to use Marlboro, while black smokers were most likely to use Newport.

1. ACS The Tobacco Atlas 3rd Edition 2009
2. Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings
3. Philip Morris 2009 annual report.