Over Half of Surveyed Cigarette Packs Lacked Irish Duty Paid

More than half of the cigarette packs examined in a recent nationwide survey had no Irish excise duty paid on them, according to findings commissioned by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Ireland.

Excise Duty Findings and Counterfeit Rates Across Ireland

Additionally, 14 percent of the total sample consisted of illegal counterfeits—products manufactured without the authorization of the brand owners. JTI owns several major tobacco brands, including Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut, and Amber Leaf. Investigators inspected each pack to determine its geographic origin, tax compliance status, and whether it was a counterfeit product.

Regional Breakdown: Galway, Dublin, and Wexford Lead Illicit Packs

According to the data, Galway recorded the highest proportion of non-Irish duty-paid cigarettes, with three-quarters of the packs examined falling into that category. Dublin followed closely behind, where two-thirds of the collected packs lacked proper Irish tax stamps. Meanwhile, Wexford registered the highest rate of counterfeit cigarettes specifically, with 25 percent of its sampled packs classified as unauthorized replicas.

Future Trends in Tobacco Enforcement and Black Market Pressures

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of cigarette packs lacked Irish excise duty?

According to the JTI Ireland survey, 57 percent of the examined cigarette packs had no exchequer duty paid on them.

What is a counterfeit cigarette?

Counterfeit cigarettes are products manufactured without the authorization of the original brand owners.

Which Irish county had the highest rate of counterfeit packs?

Wexford recorded the highest rate of counterfeit cigarettes at 25 percent, according to the research data.

Which region had the most non-duty-paid cigarettes?

Galway had the highest proportion, with three-quarters of the examined packs lacking Irish duty, closely followed by Dublin at two-thirds.