45% of All Cigarettes Smoked in Britain Last Year Were Illicit

45% of All Cigarettes Smoked in Britain Last Year Were Illicit

Almost half of all cigarettes smoked in the UK last year - 45% - were illicit, with 32.3% counterfeit, or contraband according to KPMG analysis

Record-High UK Illicit Cigarette Market Exposes Failed Tax-and-Ban Strategy.

A new report reveals that nearly half of all cigarettes consumed in the United Kingdom are now sourced from the illicit market, fueling organized crime and leading to significant tax revenue losses.PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: A KPMG report commissioned by Philip Morris International reveals that 45 percent of cigarettes consumed in the United Kingdom in 2025 were non-duty-paid, with 32.3 percent being counterfeit or contraband. IMPACT: The illic…

KPMG Report Reveals That Almost Half Of UK Cigarettes Pay No Tax

New independent analysis by KPMG – commissioned by Philip Morris International – has revealed that almost half of cigarettes (45%) consumed in the UK in 2025 were illicit. Of the total cigarette consumption in the UK, 13% of cigarettes are (more…) The post KPMG Report Reveals That Almost Half Of UK Cigarettes Pay No Tax appeared first on KamCity.

£4.5bn black market cigarette tax loss should be 'a major wake-up call' for Labour

Over half of cigarettes smoked in the UK are black market and are contributing £4.5bn to the country’s tax losses – a record high – according to new analysis from KPMG and tobacco giant Philip Morris. The findings show that 1.5bn more black-market, tax-free cigarettes were consumed by UK smokers last year compared to 2024, bringing the total to 10bn, with 13 per cent legally purchased abroad and 32 per cent counterfeit. The tobacco firm said the…

New data shows almost HALF of all UK cigarettes smoked pay no tax — with Swansea ranked among highest for illegal vape seizures

Almost half the cigarettes smoked in Britain last year never paid a penny in tax — and Swansea is now one of the worst places in the country for illegal vapes. Council officers in the city seized more than 48,000 illicit vapes, e-liquids and e-cigarettes in 2025, the fifth-largest haul of any local authority in Britain. Only Bolton, Cheshire East and Hillingdon pulled in more. Across the UK, councils stripped more than 1.3 million illegal vaping…

Illegal Cigarette Market Surges as UK Loses £4.5 Billion in Tax Revenue

Almost half of all cigarettes consumed in the UK are now either smuggled, counterfeit or purchased outside the country, according to a new report that highlights the growing scale of the illicit tobacco trade. New analysis by KPMG found that 45 per cent of cigarettes consumed in the UK during 2025 paid no UK tobacco duty, making Britain one of the largest illicit cigarette markets in Europe. The report estimates that more than 10 billion illicit…