Cigarettes up 6% from November

SMOKERS in France will be hit with a six per cent price rise on cigarettes and tobacco from November 1.

The increase, which will be put to a vote in parliament next month, will add 30 centimes to the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes.

The cheapest brands, such as B&H, Gauloises and JPS, will cost €5.40, up from €5.10.

The best-seller, Marlboro Red, will cost €5.90 instead of €5.60.

Anti-smoking groups had called for a bigger increase. However the government's cancer prevention plan, introduced last autumn, recommends gradual price increases to encourage smokers to cut down.

Tobacco sales fell from 82 billion in 2000 to 55 billion in 2004, but have remained stable ever since.

The last two price rises were six per cent in August 2007 and the same percentage again in November 2009.

Smoking brought in €13bn in tax revenue for the French state last year. According to Le Figaro, the finance ministry is expecting an extra €0.5bn in 2010.