Tobacco: 50 cents more per pack of cigarettes from now on

The government measure is being applied step by step. A further stage has just been reached with the increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes. On average it now costs 50 cents more per pack, ahead of the symbolic price of 10 euros expected within a year.

A pack of cigarettes at 10 euros by the end of 2020

As a reminder, the government intends to raise the price of tobacco in order to steer some smokers away from the habit. The health and social cost of smoking is put at 47.7 billion euros a year according to a 2014 estimate. Each year, some 75,000 people die as a result of smoking and its consequences. It is an alarming picture that the head of state wants to halt as quickly as possible.

Piece by piece, the puzzle devised by the government to reduce the number of smokers is taking shape. Two further increases are still due, on 1 March and 1 November 2020, before the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes reaches 10 euros. For now, a new increase of 50 cents has applied since 1 November 2019.

Falling sales

Is the measure bearing fruit? Since 2018, tobacco sales have kept falling: they were down 9.32% on the previous year. That is very probably down to the ninth increase in the price of tobacco since the beginning of Emmanuel Macron’s term.

Increases vary from one brand to another

Since 1 November, some packs have gone up by 40 cents while others have risen by 50 cents. In practice, you will find your packs of:

• Winston at 9 euros
• Camel with filter at 9.10 euros
• Marlboro classic at 9.30 euros
• Camel without filter at 9.10 euros
• Gauloises blondes at 9 euros
• Lucky Strike classic at 8.90 euros
• Winfield red at 9 euros
• And so on