Buying tobacco on the internet

Tobacco sales are governed by very strict rules and are reserved for a small number of licensed retailers. Any online sale of tobacco is firmly prohibited, wherever the e-commerce platform happens to be based. Here is how the rules work.

A closer look at tobacco sales in France

Only the French state holds the right to sell tobacco at retail. It does so through licensed retailers, who are subject to the rules laid down by the customs and excise administration. In other words, nobody may sell tobacco without an official licence issued by customs. The resale of tobacco is regulated in the same way.

The rules binding on any tobacco seller include those on display and advertising, the ban on smoking in public places and the ban on selling tobacco to minors. All of these requirements are set out in decree no. 2010-720 of 28 June 2010 and in the order of 24 February 2012, published in the French official journal of 7 March 2012.

Who may be authorised to resell tobacco?

As the resale of tobacco is strictly regulated, only 3 types of reseller are allowed:

• Licensed premises serving drinks for consumption on site (holding a category 3 or 4 licence) and restaurants holding a restaurant licence;
• Service stations on motorway sections, expressways or urban dual carriageways, and every station in Corsica;
• Military and prison establishments.

What about tobacco sales on the internet?

Reselling tobacco outside that framework is entirely prohibited in mainland France and in the overseas departments. The prohibition is set out in article 568 of the French general tax code, as introduced by the amending finance act for 2009 (no. 2009-1674 of 30 December 2009).

Conversely, it is also prohibited to buy tobacco by distance selling, whether over the internet or by telephone, wherever the selling website is located. It should be noted that any tobacco sent by post or by express carrier is intercepted by customs, which seizes and destroys it.

The purpose of this prohibition is to fight counterfeiting and smuggling, tobacco being the most heavily trafficked product in the world.