BRISTOL (dpa-AFX) - Imperial Brands Plc (IMBBY.PK, ITB.DE, IMB.L) is planning to cut thousands of roles across the US and Europe, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.
Notifications to staff at ITG Brands, Imperial's US business that also covers the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, are set to begin on August 19.
The British tobacco company employed roughly 25,800 people worldwide at the end of 2025 and has started discussions with EU authorities over the proposed redundancies, which still require consultation, the report said.
The move comes as the maker of Winston cigarettes and Rizla papers faces the same pressures as the rest of the sector - falling cigarette volumes and stricter regulation.
In May, Imperial has laid out a plan to deliver 320 million pounds, or about $432 million, in annual savings by 2030. Rival British American Tobacco has already cut roughly 20% of its global headcount, Bloomberg had previously reported.
In the US, where ITG Brands has just under 2,000 employees, regulatory setbacks have forced a shift in strategy. The FDA has repeatedly rejected approval for Imperial's 'blu' e-cigarette, and the company is now winding that business down to focus on oral nicotine products.
The job reductions will reportedly happen in two waves at ITG. The first, starting this month, will hit HR, finance, procurement and supply chain. The second wave, slated for notification in April with exits from mid-year, will target legal, marketing and insights teams.
Imperial already shifted some finance and procurement work to Capgemini in Poland last year.
On the LSE, shares of Imperial Brands were losing 4.55 percent, changing hands at 2,664.00 pence.
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