Sunday, December 10, 2006

Tobacco Consumption Reduces by 5% to 7%

So what's the balance as we approach the end of the first year in which the anti-smoking law has been in force in Spain? The law came into effect on January 1, 2006, which prohibited smoking in the workplace and in many bars and restaurants. The initial effects were pretty minor and, it would seem, continue to be so.

According to one report, with figures calculated by National Anti-Smoking Committee, 200 million less packets of cigarettes were sold during Spain in 2006.

While that sounds like a lot, this only relates to a drop in sales of between 5% and 7% compared to the previous year. More telling is that whilst, during the first quarter of 2006, sales were 6% down on 2005 figures, the tendency has moderated until, in October, sales were only 3.7% lower than in the same period of the previous year.

The National Anti-Smoking Committee still call this a "very positive" move towards lowering consumption, reducing smoking-related illnesses and premature deaths.

The fact that tobacco consumption has not reduced further, must, in part, be due to the low prices of cigarettes in Spain. The most popular brand in France, for instance, sells at 4.20 euros (a lot more in the UK), while in Spain the equivalent most popular brand sells for just 2.70 euros (and a lot less in the Canary Islands).

Will Spain ever increase prices as a measure to further reduce consumption, or are the profits generated from the many visitors coming to Spain to buy tobacco at 50% (or more) less than they would pay in their own countries, just too important?

El consumo de tabaco en España disminuye entre un 5% y un 7%