Smokers left gasping at HK$10 rise in price of a packet of cigarettes

Tobacco companies yesterday capitalised on the 50 per cent tax increase proposed in the budget by adding an extra HK$2 per pack onto the retail price.

Almost all brands increased by HK$10, rather than the HK$8 tax increase announced on Wednesday. Retailers 7-Eleven and Circle K said they were told by the suppliers to make the larger increase.

Philip Morris International estimated the increase in tax would mean an extra cost of HK$2,000 a year for a smoker who consumed 14 cigarettes a day.

However, this estimate does not take into account the extra HK$2 per pack, which adds a further HK$555 a year on average.

Despite this, lucky customers at Circle K stores continued to buy cigarettes at the old prices due to late publication of new price lists from suppliers. But some small vendors took advantage of the tax increase by putting up prices by HK$12 a pack.

'We have informed our trade partners that the price of most products must increase due to the significant tax increase and anticipated drop in the sale of duty-paid tobacco,' Philip Morris said.

Many anti-smoking groups were worried that the increase would be absorbed by the manufacturers, but this has not been case.