Smoking products considerably more expensive due to record increase in excise duties

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LEEUWARDEN – As of today, the price of smoking products has risen significantly due to a record increase in excise duties. A pack of rolling tobacco now costs 8 euros more, with the price for a pack of 50 grams at 24.62 euros.

This is the largest price increase ever for rolling tobacco, of which 6.52 euros is excise duty and another 1.37 euros is added in VAT.

Cigarettes are also becoming more expensive; From now on, you will have to pay approximately 11 euros for a pack of twenty cigarettes, an increase compared to the previously prevailing 9 euros.

Sales ban

The measure is part of a broader policy of the outgoing cabinet to discourage smoking. In addition to the annual increase in excise duties on April 1, tobacco products are shielded in shops and the online sale of tobacco has been restricted. From July, the sale of tobacco in supermarkets will be completely banned, with some supermarkets already anticipating these regulations by already removing tobacco from their shelves.

Threshold

Experts such as Marc Willemsen of the Trimbos Institute and consumer psychologist Patrick Wessels emphasize that in addition to the financial threshold, the psychological impact of such price increases should not be underestimated. They hope that the higher prices will encourage smokers to quit, partly through awareness of the savings that quitting smoking can yield on an annual basis.

Smoke-free generation

The government sees a twofold benefit in the increase in excise duties: on the one hand, it contributes to discouraging smoking and the pursuit of a smoke-free generation by 2040, and on the other hand, it makes a significant contribution to the treasury. Last year, smokers already paid 3.1 billion euros in excise duty, which has now been significantly increased.