Higher tax

Most popular cigarettes will soon cost €7 per pack

Every year, cigarettes become more expensive, partly because of tobacco tax.(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger)

Smokers beware: cigarette prices are rising earlier this year. The government is raising tobacco tax in February. In response, manufacturer JTI is increasing the price of a pack of Camels by 30 cents. Competitor Philip Morris is raising the price of its brands by 10 to 20 cents from February 2. This means that Austria's most popular brand, Marlboro, will cost €7 for the first time.

Manufacturer JTI is taking the upcoming tax increase as an opportunity to raise the price of Camel cigarettes by 30 cents from €6.50 to €6.80 per pack. The group's best-selling brand, Winston, will remain the same price for the time being, as will Benson & Hedges. "Meine Sorte" (formerly "Milde Sorte") will increase by 30 cents and cost 7.30 euros in future.

Marlboro already costs around "100 schillings"
Philip Morris is also responding and will increase prices from February 2, according to a letter to tobacconists. The classic red Marlboro now costs seven euros for the first time, making it "only" ten cents more expensive, as are the "Heets" tobacco heating sticks.

For those who still convert to old currency: this means that a pack of Marlboro cigarettes costs around 100 schillings. Chesterfield will increase by 20 cents per pack. The "Philip Morris" brand will also increase by 20 cents from the beginning of February, while L&M will remain the same, but increased by 50 cents last year.

Every year, cigarettes become more expensive, partly due to tobacco tax.(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger)

Manufacturers BAT (e.g., Lucky Strike) and Imperial (e.g., Gauloises) have not yet ventured out of cover. In any case, the annual price war has begun. Further increases for all brands are to be expected, but probably not to the same extent as last year, when there were two rounds of price increases. Cigarette prices are also fueling inflation.

100 million euros in additional revenue this year
The Ministry of Finance hopes to generate an additional €100 million from tobacco tax this year. Some of this will come from alternative products now falling under the monopoly, but the increases in the price of traditional cigarettes will also bring the state millions.