JPS (John Player Special) cigarettes

John Player Special, commonly known as JPS, is a prestigious brand of cigarettes that originated in Nottingham, England. The brand was created by John Player & Sons, a company founded in 1877. JPS gained global fame for its iconic black and gold packaging, which became legendary through its long-standing sponsorship of the Lotus Formula One team during the 1970s and 1980s.

Historically, the product was manufactured in the United Kingdom at the famous Horizon factory in Nottingham. However, following the closure of the last British cigarette factories in 2016, production was shifted overseas. Today, the manufacturing of JPS products takes place in several locations across Europe and globally, most notably in Poland and Germany, to serve various international markets.

Ownership of the brand is currently split based on regional markets. In the United Kingdom and several European and Commonwealth markets, the brand is owned and managed by Imperial Brands (formerly Imperial Tobacco). In other international regions, the brand rights are held by British American Tobacco (BAT). This dual ownership is the result of historical mergers and the complex evolution of the global tobacco industry.