Overview

• A KPMG study finds nearly 40% of cigarettes smoked in France in 2024 were obtained through illicit channels.
• Last year, 49.4% of packs were bought outside licensed tobacconists, totaling 24.7 billion illicit sticks.
• Illicit cigarette sales rose 13% from 2023 as legal pack prices climbed to historic highs.
• France leads Europe with 18.75 billion black market cigarettes consumed, outranking Ukraine and the UK.
• Easy access to contraband packs in metro stations, small shops and street stalls is undermining government revenue and anti-smoking efforts.