Paris (AFP)

The price of the pack of cigarettes will increase Friday, November 1 of about 50 cents, because of a tax increase planned by the government, which aims a package to 10 euros at the end of 2020 to reduce tobacco consumption in France.

Published in the Official Journal Wednesday, a ministerial decree dated October 17 sets the new prices, one week before their entry into force.

These are up, because of the application of the second tax increase of 50 cents, scheduled this year - the first was in March.

Among the Philip Morris group brands, the package of Winston (flexible package) rose from 8.50 euros to 9 euros, that of Camel filter reached 9.10 euros against 8.60 euros before and that of Marlboro Red, which cost 8 , 80 euros, stands at 9.30 euros.

At Japan Tobacco International, the price of Camel without filter increases to 9.10 euros against 8.60 euros, again an increase of 50 cents.

On the side of the Seita, the French subsidiary of the British Imperial Tobacco (Imperial Brands group), the price of Gauloises blondes package, which was 8.50 euros, goes to 9 euros.

In the flagship products of British American Tobacco, the price of Lucky Strike Classic Blue rises to 8.90 euros against 8.40 euros before and Winfield Red goes to 9 euros against 8.60 euros - an increase, slightly less , 40 cents.

A year and a half ago, on March 1, 2018, the government had raised taxes, driving the price of the average package to 8 euros, against 7.30 euros previously for Marlboro Red for example.

That had lowered sales by 9.32% last year.

In France, it is the tobacco industry that sets sales prices but the state can encourage increases by varying taxes, which represent more than 80% of the price.

This is the ninth revision of tobacco prices since the arrival of the Macron government in May 2017, after four years of stability.

To reduce tobacco consumption, the government has planned to reach, in November 2020, a price of 10 euros per pack of 20 cigarettes, with next year again two new increases of 50 cents, the same dates as this year.

Tobacco, which causes cancer and cardiovascular disease, kills some 75,000 French people each year.

© 2019 AFP