BAT awarded worst corporation in New Zealand..

March 2, 2009 - The annual "Roger Award for Worst Transnational Corporation" operating in New Zealand has gone to British American Tobacco (BAT). The award, named after former finance minister and ACT Party co-founder Sir Roger Douglas and organised by the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa, was announced in Auckland tonight.

The panel of six judges said BAT's product killed 5000 people every year and ruined the lives of tens of thousands. It perennially refuses to take responsibility for the social and economic consequences of its activity, while maintaining a major public relations effort to subvert the efforts of the Government to reduce cigarette consumption."

Reference: Roger award goes to tobacco firm, Otago Daily, 3/3/2009.

The market for Tobacco in New Zealand increased between 2001-2006, growing at an average annual rate of 2.1%. The leading company in the market in 2006 was British American Tobacco plc. The second-largest player was Imperial Tobacco Group PLC with Altria Group, Inc. in third place. (Tobacco in New Zealand to 2011, Datamonitor, 9/2007, Pages: 111hh)

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