Insee Analyses · February 2024 · n° 94

Foreign purchases account for at least 9.5% of tobacco sales in France

France exhibits one of the highest smoking rates within Europe, although its per capita tobacco sales are among the lowest. This paradox may be attributed to the higher tobacco prices in France compared to its neighboring countries, prompting a portion of smokers to procure their tobacco from abroad. Amid the initial lockdown in 2020, the closure of the borders compelled most of these individuals to source their tobacco domestically. As a consequence, tobacco sales in France experienced a 9.5% increase during this period. However, this rise likely underestimates the amount of tobacco usually purchased abroad, considering that the borders remained partially open, especially to cross-border workers. If smokers living near the borders had purchased tobacco from the official retail network to the same extent as those living further away, tobacco sales in France in spring 2020 would have exceeded their usual level by 13.5%.