Cigarettes: price of packets to double in 2027

A double blow for smokers within the space of six months. The budget measures also include provisions on tobacco products, bringing forward to the middle of next year the price rises previously scheduled for 2028: 2027 will therefore see two price increases, on 1 January and 1 July. This timetable had been set out in the 2026 Budget Act, with a gradual increase in excise duties on cigarettes, cigarillos and loose tobacco over the three-year period 2026–2028. For cigarettes, the fixed specific amount – currently 32 euros per thousand pieces – will rise to 35.50 euros in January and reach 38.50 euros from 1 July, six months earlier than planned. The technical report accompanying the previous budget estimated an average increase of around 25 cents per packet for 2027 and around 40 cents once the new rates are fully in force from 2028.