Cigarettes cheaper
In October 2003 that tobacco taxes have increased 40% over the national territory. Sales have obviously fallen: -31.9% in two years, according to manufacturers. Smoking in France is impossible. The cost allocated to the consumption of cigarettes per month is too much for some households. And as everyone knows, this is not easy to quit smoking. Some people do not even elsewhere, and decided to go buy their packs of cigarettes abroad. Be aware that a package of four is bought abroad, where price is often divided by two.
The state wanted to reduce the consumption of French and fight against smoking, but it missed. When you’re hooked, you’re hooked. And there are always ways to find cigarettes from elsewhere, thus less expensive.
In 2004-2005, nearly 24% of packets smoked had been purchased abroad, according to a study after 2 000 customers in September 2005. In April 2004, this figure was only 18.7%, up from 28% in one year.
The shortfall is huge for the state and Social Security, “said Le Parisien this morning. Each year, nearly 1.7 billion euros in tax revenues (or 17% of total) that do not fall into the public coffers. Besides the 170 million euros that the government has pledged until 2007, tobacconists border departments of 26 to compensate for the decline in tobacco sales.
When it comes to cigarette package purchased abroad, the first country that comes to mind is Spain, where the package costs twice cheaper than in France, as the cartridge, which costs € 27.50 here low, and 50 € here at home. A difference of 22.50 €.
20 000 people pass each day Perthus, a small town in the Pyrenees-Orientales, which straddles the border.
However, this will perhaps not last. Indeed, Spain has adopted legislation to limit tobacco consumption. It entered into force on 1 January. It prohibits supermarkets from selling cigarettes. And do not stop there, Xavier Bertrand said he had met with his Spanish counterpart in order to see the Spanish price rise.