STA, 18 January 2022 - Cigarette sales in Slovenia have been on a decline in recent years, dropping by more than a third from 2011 to 2020. This trend has been followed, although at a slower pace, by declining income from related excise duties in the national budget, despite their increase of more than 50% in the last ten years.
The gradual decline in cigarette sales is shown by the data on the quantity of cigarettes on which excise duties were levied.
In 2011, excise duties were charged on 5.4 billion cigarettes, and in 2020 on 3.255 billion cigarettes, the Finance Ministry has said in a reply to a question from an MP.
At the same time, the amount of excise duties charged on cigarettes decreased from EUR 426 million in 2011 to EUR 381 million in 2020.
The ministry said that the gradual increases ensured that the general government revenue from excise duties on cigarettes was kept at approximately the same level.
"Otherwise, the revenues would have been significantly lower due to the expected reduction in the sold quantity of all tobacco products," it added.
The minimum excise duty per pack of cigarettes increased in the last ten years by 54% - from EUR 1.60 in 2011 to EUR 2.46 in 2021. The latest increase was implemented on 1 November last year.
The Financial Administration has noted that tobacco products by established international producers have been smuggled at a lower rate in recent years, while cigarettes and counterfeits of lower quality and price are predominant in seized shipments.
