Japan Tobacco to demand OFT refund Gallaher, which was bought by JTI for £9.4bn in 2007, was among several of the accused companies which chose to pay the fine (in their case £50.3m) to avoid a costly and lengthy legal process. But six of the companies, including Imperial Tobacco, Asda, and the Co-operative Group, chose to appeal against the penalty, which was a record for the OFT at the time. Imperial Tobacco had received the largest individual fine, of £112.3m. Earlier this year, Martin McColl, the chain of neighbourhood convenience stores, successfully secured a £2.6m refund from the OFT, despite not appealing the ruling itself. Sources told The Telegraph that JTI is now looking into securing a similar refund. A spokesman for the tobacco giant said: "Gallaher is considering carefully the implications of this development. Gallaher has no further comment to make at this stage.