Tobacco tax: strong half-year

Die Tabak Zeitung // In the first half of the year, the sale of tobacco products generated significantly more money for the tax authorities than in the same period last year. According to the latest statistics, the federal government took in 7.232 billion euros from January to June inclusive (2024: 6.7 billion euros). This corresponds to an increase of 8.1 percent.

The increase in cigarettes was particularly significant: At 5.9 billion euros, the state collected almost 8.7 percent more than in the first half of 2024. The percentage increases for water pipe tobacco were high at 64.3 percent to 23.8 million euros – due to the tax changes – and for tobacco substitutes at 42.7 percent to 163.9 million euros.

With regard to heat-not-burn goods, the Federal Statistical Office states: “In order to maintain tax secrecy, no information can be provided on heated tobacco.”

According to the latest figures, the cigar/cigarillo (down 42.7 percent to 37.3 million euros) and pipe tobacco (down 57.9 percent to 23.8 million euros) categories recorded sharp declines.

In terms of net purchases of tax stamps as a leading indicator, July could be relatively mixed. Cigarette manufacturers stocked 1.3% more tax stamps in June than in the same period last year. The volume of fine-cut tobacco fell by 8.8 percent. There was also a drop of 3.2 percent in tobacco product substitutes, i.e. primarily liquids for e-cigarettes. The purchase of cigars/cigarillos increased marginally (0.4 percent), while pipe tobacco fell by 37.5 percent. No figures can be provided for water pipe tobacco for 2024; the purchase of tax stamps for an absolute quantity of just under 118,567 kilograms for June gives hope for a successful sales summer.