PURPOSE: To feed groups of tobacco items to a packaging line without damaging them.

CONSTITUTION: A pocket conveyor 9 feeds continuous groups 5 in a first direction 13 crosswise to tobacco items 6, each pocket 11 of the conveyor 9 is provided with first and second walls 23, 24, the walls 23, 24 are moved by bellows type actuators 28, 32 in the directions parallel to and perpendicular to the first direction 13, the actuators 28, 32 are expanded and press the walls 23, 24 respectively against the groups 5, and compress the groups inside the respective pockets 11.