By Editie NL / RTL News ··Amended:
RTL
The expected profit from excise duties on tobacco seems to be going up in smoke, partly because many Dutch people buy cigarettes abroad. Especially in Eastern European countries, you pay little for tobacco. How much difference does it make to fly to Poland for cigarettes or to Slovenia for rolling tobacco? Editie NL reporter Eise Pulles put it to the test and flew to Poland.
The price of cigarettes has risen sharply in recent years, which has had an impact on sales. In June, 44 percent fewer tobacco products were sold than in the same month a year ago. In July, this was 27 percent and in August 38 percent. This could mean that more people are quitting smoking. But there are also people who are now getting their (cheaper) tobacco abroad.
That is not allowed without limits. Per person aged 17 or over, you are allowed to bring 800 cigarettes, or four cartons, tax-free from an EU country. And another 200 cigars and a kilo of tobacco.
Flying to Poland
Many Dutch people drive to Luxembourg or Germany to stock up on cigarettes, but they are even cheaper in Eastern Europe. That is quite a distance away, but there are now discounters who will fly you to various Eastern European cities for a small fee. How much difference does it actually make? Editie NL reporter Eise Pulles flew to the Polish city of Katowice to find out (see video at the top of the article).
The average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes:
| The Netherlands | 11,10 euro |
| Slovenia | 4,80 euro |
| Poland | 3,90 euro |
| Bulgaria | 3,10 euro |
The plane tickets for reporter Eise and cameraman Dennis cost 100 euros per person from Eindhoven Airport. These were the expenses of the travel group. They were both allowed to take four cartons of cigarettes, so eight in total.”
Eise and the cameraman spent a total of 552 euros per person on tobacco and the trip to Poland, including accommodation and food and drinks. For the same amount of rolling tobacco and cigarettes they would have spent 982.80 euros per person in the Netherlands. So the trip to Katowice ‘saved’ them 430.80.
Decline in sales
Driving to Luxembourg or flying to Poland for cigarettes is therefore a lot cheaper than buying them in the Netherlands. This has led to a sharp decline in tobacco sales, the BBB believes. The political party therefore wants the excise duty increase on tobacco to be reversed. Although there are smokers who have stopped because of the increased prices – which is of course even cheaper – others get their cigarettes across the border.
Caroline van der Plas of the BBB understands that people who can’t afford it go abroad for cheaper cigarettes. “Of course you say: then people should just stop smoking. But there is simply a group of people who will not stop smoking.”
Van der Plas also says he has spoken to many people who buy cigarettes abroad to then resell them in the Netherlands. “In the meantime, we as a government are missing out on a lot of excise revenue. Not only because of the cigarettes, but also because people abroad often buy cheap groceries and drinks, which means they miss out on VAT revenue. And people also sit on the terrace and make a nice weekend of it.”
The politician finds it ‘bizarre’ that reporter Eise was able to fly all the way to Poland for the same amount as eight ‘Dutch’ cartons to buy tobacco and stay overnight in a luxury hotel. She thinks it is a better idea to warn people about smoking instead of focusing on excise tax increases. “Simply quitting smoking is not easy. That is why the BBB will not vote for new excise tax increases.”
‘Excise duty increases help’
Pulmonologist Wanda de Kanter says that making cigarettes more expensive is the way to get smokers to quit. According to her, society pays billions of euros a year because of smokers. “Structural excise duty increases work. That is evident from all studies. Unfortunately, it is mainly the tobacco industry that gets the floor in the media. Excise duty increases are not bad. We advocate excise duty increases every year, as well as a ban on vapes.”
According to De Kanter, people going abroad for cigarettes is not a problem. “I saw it myself in Luxembourg. There I saw families with whole buckets of rolling tobacco. It shows how serious that addiction is. But children, who you protect the most with excise duty increases, do not do that.”
Stephan van Baarle of DENK is much less critical of excise duty increases. The Member of Parliament sees it as a ‘health gain’ for society if people stop smoking. “It causes lung cancer and is just incredibly bad for you.”
He emphasizes that quitting smoking is difficult for many people. “I regret it immensely that I started. I consider it one of the biggest mistakes I ever made. I am trying to quit.”
Rules like in New Zealand or Australia?
De Kanter advocates raising the minimum age by 1 year each year, as has worked well in New Zealand. “The new generation smokes much less there. In Australia they now pay 28 euros per pack, and they smoke even less there.”
The lung specialist hopes that people will not be inspired by reporter Eise Pulles’ trip to Poland. “The fact that people are so addicted that they fly abroad to buy cheap cigarettes clearly shows the need for excise duty increases. It shows how serious that addiction is. You are better off participating in Stoptober than going to Poland.”
