SINCE the EU’s exit, new global limits have been set for imports to Great Britain.
This article will cover everything about cigarettes, from the amount you can buy to its cost.
1
Can I import as many cigarettes from abroad to the UK?
Returning travelers to the UK should be aware of restrictions on what cigarettes they may bring.
You will need to declare your goods and pay any tax or duty if you exceed the allowance.
According toGovernment guidelinesTobacco allowance:
- 200 cigarettes
- 100 cigarillos
- 50 Cigars
- 250g of tobacco
- 200 sticks of tobacco are required for electronic heated tobacco devices
Split this allowance: You could bring in 100 cigarettes, 25 cigars and get the other half.
What is the maximum number of cigarettes I can take with me to other countries from the UK
If you enter the EU from the UK, you can bring goods free of VAT and excise duties with you within the limits set out below and if they are not for resale.
The EU country that you’re visiting may have a different limit.
Lower limit
- 200 cigarettes
- 100 cigarillos
- 50 Cigars
- 250g of tobacco
Limits higher
- 40 cigarettes
- 20 Cigarillos
- 10 cigars
- 50g of tobacco
It’s important to check what an EU country applies as it can either apply to them or to land and sea travellers (Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia) or to all travellers (Estonia and Romania).
You can also split the allowance.
What is the excise tax on cigarettes?
Since October 2021, the excise duty on cigarettes in the UK is £262.90 per 1,000 cigarettes plus 16.5% of retail price.
The duty rate for cigars is £327.92 per keg and hand-rolling tobacco is £302.32 per kg.
Are cigarettes cheaper abroad?
Because the UK has left EU, the prices for cigarettes at airports are lower because Duty Free is now in effect.
France, Spain Greece, Greece, and Italy all offer discounts of 20 to 24 percent
The cheapest tobacco products are in Dubai, where 200 Marlboro Gold cigarettes cost £22.56 — a third the price of the same carton at Heathrow, and 500% cheaper than in a British supermarket.
The British Medical Association spokesperson stated that “anything that makes tobacco more readily available is bad news for public health.”
“Each year there are nearly half a million hospital admissions in England because of smoking in England and nearly 80,000 deaths annually.”