A tax increase of 50 centimes, set in a ministerial decree, entered into force on 1 November.
The price of cigarette packs has thus increased by 40 to 50 cents depending on the brand.
A price which should not increase any more next year.
The price of the best-selling packs of cigarettes in France, such as Marlboro, has increased from 40 to 50 cents.
Many references now cost more than 10 euros, due to the second annual fee increase that came into effect on Sunday.
New tobacco sales prices, set in a ministerial decree of September 28, have been applied by tobacconists since November 1, in the wake of the last tax increase of 50 centimes scheduled for 2020 by the government, the first having had take place on March 1.
These prices should remain unchanged next year, the government having assured that "no tobacco tax will be voted in 2021", as repeated the Minister Delegate for Public Accounts Olivier Dussopt at the congress of tobacconists on October 19.
Packages over 10 euros
Since Sunday, the Philip Morris group - which has a market share of around 40% in France, including 26% with its flagship brand Marlboro - therefore sells the packet of Marlboro Red at 10.40 euros, against 10 euros previously, an increase of 40 cents identical to that of Winstons, which go to 10 euros.
For its part, the competitor British American Tobacco has opted for an increase of 50 cents for the price of the package of Lucky Strike, increased to 10 euros, that of Peter Stuyvesants to 10.50 euros and finally for the Rothmans, which now cost 10 euros. Japan Tobacco International has done the same, with the price of a packet of Camel at 10.30 euros, or 50 cents more, its Winstons rising to 10 euros.
At Seita, Gauloises Blondes are now 10 euros.
Cigarette sales down 7.2% in 2019
In France, tobacco manufacturers set their selling prices, but the State can encourage increases by varying taxes, which represent more than 80% of the price.
Each manufacturer then decides to pass on this tax increase in whole or in part, and consequently to maintain, cut or increase its margins, depending on competition and its pricing policy.
In 2017, the government ended four years of price stability, sharply raising taxes to bring the price of the package to around 8 euros on March 1, 2018, and since then proceeding with two annual increases of 50 cents, the one in March, the other in November, with the stated aim of reducing tobacco consumption.
These price increases caused sales to drop 9.32% in 2018 and 7.2% last year.
The leading cause of preventable death, tobacco kills some 78,000 French people each year.