The five biggest tobacco companies spent $15.2bn on US advertising and promotion of cigarettes in 2003, an increase of more than 20 per cent from a year earlier and the highest figure ever reported to the Federal Trade Commission.

A report issued on Tuesday by the Washington regulator said the five tobacco giants nevertheless sold 19.8bn fewer cigarettes in 2003 a 5 per cent decline in sales in spite of the advertising and marketing push.