Cigarette smuggling remains stable at 13.4 percent this March

The level of the local black market for cigarettes has remained constant this March at 13.4 percent of the total market, according to data from Novel Research. In January 2012, the black market reached 13 percent, going down almost three times compared to the all-time high of 36.2 percent level registered in January 2010.

“ (…) In all the regions which are strongly affected by this phenomenon the numbers haven’t changed – 31 percent in the eastern region, 22.2 percent in north-east, and 20.8 in north-east. What can be observed is a worrying 5.8 percent growth forBucharestin March against January 2012 reaching 13.5 percent (…)”, said Marian Marcu, general director of Novel Research.

27 percent of the smuggled cigarettes sold in Romania come from Ukraine, followed by the Republic of Moldova which accounts for 26.2 percent of the volumes, Serbia with 20.8 percent and duty-free with 18.7 percent.

The main cigarette producers inRomaniaare Philip Morris Romania, British American Tobacco and JTI Romania. In 2011 these three companies have generated approximately EUR 2.75 billion to the state budget as VAT and excise duties.

Simona Bazavan

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