The Managing Director of the Eastern Company for Tobacco, Hani Aman, announced that the company is considering raising cigarette prices to a level below the maximum allowed.
Aman said in a statement that the prices of Cleopatra cigarettes have been increased to LE 34.7 from LE 31, with an excise tax of LE4.5 per pack.
The prices of mid-range cigarettes have been increased from LE 34.8 to LE 50.40, from a previous range of LE 31 to LE 45.
Why are cigarette prices in Egypt on the rise?
Aman explained that the increase in cigarette prices is due to the increase in the exchange rate of the dollar from LE31 in government banks to LE47 in government and private banks.
He called for opening the import of lower class cigarettes, similar to the upper and middle classes, which encourages competition in favor of the consumer and thus eliminates the monopoly.
In February, Philip Morris Egypt raised the prices of its cigarette products for the second time in about three months, by rates ranging from LE8-11 per pack.
The Egyptian government decided in November 2023 to amend some provisions of the Value Added Tax Law on Cigarettes issued by Law No. 67 of 2016.
The amendments to the value-added tax on cigarettes included allowing an increase in the official prices of cigarettes by about 12 percent annually.
The amendments also included increasing the taxes imposed on cigarettes by increasing the minimum and maximum limits for the price range of the pack by 12 percent annually for five years.
Cigarette prices on Thursday
- Cleopatra Box (10 cigarettes): 22 Egyptian pounds.
- Cleopatra (20 cigarettes): 30 Egyptian pounds.
- Mondial: 30 Egyptian pounds.
- Belmont: 30 Egyptian pounds.
- Boston: 30 Egyptian pounds.
- Viceroy: 50 Egyptian pounds.
- Pall Mall: 50 Egyptian pounds.
Winston Cigarette prices on Thursday
- Winston Red: 50 Egyptian pounds.
- Winston Blue: 50 Egyptian pounds.
- Winston Silver: 50 Egyptian pounds.
- Winston Caster: 50 Egyptian pounds.
- Winston Mint: 52 Egyptian pounds.
- Camel Yellow: 57 Egyptian pounds.
- Camel Blue: 57 Egyptian pounds.
- Activit: 60 Egyptian pounds.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that smoking kills more than 120,000 people in Egypt each year.
It has called on the Egyptian government to take further steps to reduce smoking, such as increasing taxes on cigarettes and banning smoking in public places.
The Egyptian government has been raising taxes on cigarettes in recent years in an effort to discourage smoking.
Edited translation from Al-Masry al-Youm
