Some cigarettes in Bulgaria already have new, higher prices. A reference in the public tobacco price register shows that many cigarettes brands are more expensive with 20 cents per box. Тhe appreciation is due to the pricing policy of the companies, not the changes in the excise duty. 

With the increase, smokers' monthly costs for cigarettes are jumping, with approximately 10 leva – from 150 to 160 leva per month. However, traders say the new prices don’t reorient smokers to cheaper brands.

The Institute for Market Economics reports that even without rise in prices, cigarettes are more inaccessible in Bulgaria than in the rest of the EU.  The rise in cigarettes may change the attitudes of the so-called risky group of smokers. There are about 250,000 people who would likely buy illegal cigarettes if the prices rise even higher. Recent market analyzes have shown that the share of illegal cigarettes is about 4.4%.

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