Plain cigarette packaging ‘could boost illegal trade’

A new report which found the illegal tobacco trade is booming has warned that the introduction of plain packaging could boost demand for illicit cigarettes — at a time when the Government is planning to ban branding.

High cigarette prices, low criminal penalties, and lack of controls on the blackmarket are behind Ireland’s third place ranking out of 17 European countries for illegal tobacco penetration. Ireland is the second dearest country in Europe to buy cigarettes.

The report by Italian research centre Transcrime, entitled Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Product, said smokers here are shifting to cheaper products, such as hand-rolled tobacco and illicit tobacco, “which is widely available in Ireland”.