Smoking is not only detrimental to your health but in the UK, it is also increasingly harsh on the wallet. The imminent tobacco price hike in the UK is set to send costs soaring.
According to the Daily Mail, the latest 10% price increase (in force since 6.00 pm on November 22) will push a packet of cigarettes over £20, approximately €23, making each cigarette cost over one euro. For example a package Dunhill Red costs more than £20 (€23) in the UK and only €5,80 in Spain.
Also read: Bad news for smokers: Tobacco prices rise again in Spain
Cheaper to buy abroad
The situation has reached a point where travelling abroad to buy tobacco is more economical than purchasing it in the UK. Daily Mail’s calculations show that buying tobacco duty-free during a low-cost round trip abroad, such as to Slovakia, can save up to €115 when buying 200. Check here to see how many cigarettes you can bring from a trip to Spain back to Northern Ireland or the rest of the UK.
Creative solutions by smokers
Britons are finding inventive ways to circumvent these high prices. Brian Holmes, interviewed by Daily Mail, receives cigarettes from family visiting from Ireland every two weeks. Similarly, Zack Nasro, an Italian, travels back to his country every two months to stock up on cigarettes for himself and his partner, a practice that continues until he must face the inflated UK prices.
