INTERNATIONAL
Illicit Trade – RRPs: International
August 2026: Illicit High-Nicotine Vapes Flood European Markets Amid Enforcement Gaps A parallel market for non-compliant e-cigarettes is rapidly expanding across Europe, granting consumers easy access to hyper-concentrated, massive-capacity disposable vapes. Recent investigations by public health advocacy groups reveal that illicit e-cigarettes vastly exceeding legal safety thresholds can be purchased
Global Vape Market
August 2026: China’s Vape Exports Hit 2026 Peak at $1.047 Billion as U.S. Demand Surges China’s exports across vaping products reached $1.047 billion in July 2026, marking a 16.5% year-over-year increase and the highest monthly total of the year. According to China Customs data, the expansion was heavily concentrated in
International: Illegal Cigarettes
August 2026: Nearly 60% of Cigarette Packs in Ireland Avoided Domestic Tax, Research Reveals A major research study tracking discarded cigarette packaging across Ireland has revealed that nearly six in ten cigarette packs consumed in the country avoided Irish tax, pointing to widespread tax avoidance and illegal smuggling. The Empty
Turkey: Tobacco Market
August 2026: All Cigarette Brands in Turkey Now Priced Above ₺110 Following the August 2026 round of price increases, all cigarette brands in Turkey now retail above the ₺110 ($2.3) threshold. In the above-premium segment, Parliament (Philip Morris International) and selected variants of Winston (Japan Tobacco), Kent (British American Tobacco)
South Africa: Tobacco Market
July 2026: Survey Highlights Low Awareness of Nicotine Alternatives Amid South Africa’s Tobacco Law Revision A recent consumer survey commissioned by Philip Morris International (PMI) has provided new insights into consumer dynamics within the South African tobacco market, highlighting significant gaps in public awareness regarding alternative nicotine options. The survey
Tobacco Regulation: Latin America
May 2026: Argentina Transitions from Prohibition to Regulation of Nicotine Alternatives Argentina has enacted Resolution 549/2026, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for vaping products, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches – marking a clear shift away from its longstanding prohibitionist approach. The move reflects a more pragmatic policy stance, as authorities
Africa: Tobacco Market
March 2026: BAT Faces Rising Illicit Trade in African Markets British American Tobacco (BAT) reported a 12.5% year-on-year revenue decline in Kenya in 2025, as domestic market performance continued to be undermined by illicit trade. Illicit cigarettes now account for 45% of the Kenyan market, up from 37% in 2024,
Egypt: Tobacco Market
February 2026: Philip Morris Egypt raises cigarette prices by E£5-7 Philip Morris Egypt announced new prices for its portfolio of traditional cigarettes and heated tobacco products in the Egyptian market. Under the updated price list, Merit is now priced at E£111 per pack ($2.4), Marlboro at E£102 ($2.2) and L&M at
Russia: Cigarette Market
January 2026: Russia to Begin Extra-Judicial Blocking of Online Tobacco Sales Sites Russian authorities will start blocking websites that sell tobacco and nicotine-containing products without a court order beginning in March 2026. The measure, passed by the State Duma and set to take effect on March 1, 2026, aims to
Little Cigars
June 2025: Global little cigar sales dropped 4% in 2024, outside China Little cigar sales, outside China, dropped 3.9% to 18.4 billion sticks in 2024. Top-3 markets, USA (5.75 billion), Japan (2.92 billion), and Germany (2.45 billion), accounted for 60.4% of the global sales volume in 2024. Sales revenue for
International Cigar Market
June 2025: The Dominican Republic remains the world’s top exporter of premium cigars The Dominican Republic remains the world’s top exporter of premium cigars, producing around 8.4 billion cigars each year – including 181 million handmade cigars and more than 8.2 billion machine-made cigars. 88% of the premium (handmade) cigars
