Spain - cigarette sales are up - so what else is new!!

April 21, 2010 - SALES of cigarettes have gone up in Spain since the so-called 'anti-smoking law' became effective at the beginning of 2006. Aided by one of the biggest population growth rates in the European Union (EU) and outstanding tourism growth, cigarettes continued to grow both in retail volume and value terms in 2008. (Euromonitor - Tobacco in Spain.)

According to the ministry of the economy, last year saw tobacconists netting sales of 12,536 million euros, a growth of 1.38 per cent on the previous year's 12,365 million.

Only in the Comunidad Valenciana and the Balearic Islands have sales fallen, but this could partly be due to a drop in tourist figures, since northern European holidaymakers are known to take huge consignments of Spain's much cheaper cigarettes with them.

Sales went up the most in Extremadura, Spain's leading tobacco producer, with a rise of 7.48 percent in a year. Andalucía sold 2,241 million euros' worth of cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco, just below Catalunya and just ahead of Madrid and the Comunidad Valenciana.

Sales of roll-your-own tobacco have gone up in the past year, given the recession and the higher prices of ready-rolled cigarettes.

Reference: Cigarette sales go up - despite anti-smoking law, TheReader.es, 4/21/2010.

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