Tobacco in 2024: The big picture
Tobacco saw a marked decline in volume sales in France in 2024. Tobacco is a structurally waning market in the country due to an increasingly negative social attitude towards smoking. More particularly, in 2024, the market also suffered due to the impact of economic conditions, which saw more limited inflation than in the previous year, but a growing consumer feeling of waning purchasing power, as well as higher taxation. As a result, local consumers were highly price-sensitive during the year. Even so, the official decline in smoking prevalence in France in recent years has probably been overstated, with lower-income consumers and the unemployed likely to be seeing higher prevalence under economically stressful conditions. Many of these smokers have been purchasing products via the illicit market, however.
2024 key trends
Volume sales of tobacco declined in 2024, with value sales also falling. In volume terms, this was by far the worst performance during the review period. This was mostly attributed to prevailing economic conditions and increasing tax pressure, with a too limited fallback solution towards products with a lower-risk positioning.
Competitive landscape
Philip Morris France SAS was the leading company within tobacco overall in 2024. The company produces the Marlboro, Philip Morris, L&M and Chesterfield brands in cigarettes and the Iqos (tobacco heating devices) and HEETS (heated tobacco) brands in heated tobacco products, in which it monopolises sales. In cigarettes, it continued to yield ground to its challengers due to the marked decline of the Marlboro brand (the primary victim of counterfeits in France). It is also paying the price for its premium status, at a time when only a slight rise in prices can make a considerable difference for many cigarette smokers. Heated tobacco products saw significant growth in France until 2023 despite its initial challenges. However, the threat of regulatory changes loomed over both vaping products and heated tobacco products from mid-2024. Most products adopted neutral packaging, with some already displaying health risks.
Retail developments
Tobacco specialists was the dominant distribution channel within tobacco overall in 2024. Legislation governing the distribution, sales, and promotion of tobacco products is highly restrictive in France, with tobacconists being the sole officially authorised retail channel for cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco. Other outlets holding minor shares in this category primarily consist of B2B clients of tobacconists, including forecourt retailers and, predominantly, hospitality and on-trade establishments.
What next for tobacco?
The outlook for the overall tobacco market in France during the forecast period appears highly unfavourable. Sales of tobacco are set to fall in both volume and value terms between 2024 and 2029.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Tobacco industry in France with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to the following key categories, where applicable:
- Cigarettes
- Cigars, Cigarillos and Smoking Tobacco
- Smokeless Tobacco, E-Vapour Products and Heated Tobacco
If you're in the Tobacco industry in France, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Tobacco in France report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Tobacco in France?
- Which are the leading brands in Tobacco in France?
- How are products distributed in Tobacco in France?
- Which category is the most heavily taxed in France?
- How is the operating environment for Tobacco changing?
- What are the current legislative restrictions applicable to the sale of Tobacco products in France?
- How has COVID-19 impacted demand?
- How have national lockdown and enforced home seclusion following COVID-19 impacted sales?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Tobacco in France
Tobacco in 2024: The big picture
2024 key trends
Competitive landscape
Retail developments
What next for tobacco?
Legislation
Legislative overview
Minimum legal smoking age
Smoking prevalence
Plain packaging
Point-of-sale display bans
Flavoured tobacco product ban
Vapour products
PRODUCTION/IMPORTS/EXPORTS
DISCLAIMER
Cigarettes in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Accelerated volume decline with new taxes leading to cannibalisation by illicit sales
Major players see ongoing decline
Tobacco specialists remains dominant, but focus shifts away from cigarettes
Despite local fight against illicit trade, ongoing decline in legal sales of cigarettes anticipated
Significant smoking demographic faces considerable economic challenges
Innovation becoming increasingly limited
Taxation rates
Average cigarette pack price breakdown
Cigars, Cigarillos and Smoking Tobacco in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
More resilient than cigarettes ... with pipe tobacco proving dynamic
The lion’s share for Scandinavian Tobacco Group in cigars and cigarillos and JTI in smoking tobacco
Tobacco specialists officially monopolise the distribution of cigars. cigarillos and smoking tobacco
All products to decline with the exception of pipe tobacco
“Follow the accessories” to find the real unofficial sales of smoking tobacco
Innovation in blond cigarillos, pre-rolled tobacco and premium handmade cigars
Smokeless Tobacco, E-Vapour Products and Heated Tobacco in France
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Sudden turnaround in 2024 due the proposed ban on puffs
BAT is doing well in tobacco specialists
Tobacco specialists remains dominant but loses share to e-commerce
Too many uncertainties to be optimistic in a category that theoretically has potential
Despite a higher level of innovation within open systems, closed systems rechargeable and cartridges could gain further ground thanks to smart novelties
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Tobacco
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- Fine Cut Cigarettes
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- Cigarettes (Illicit+Legal)
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- Cigars
- Cigarillos
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- Pipe Tobacco
- Fine Cut Tobacco
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- Chewing Tobacco
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- Loose US-Style Moist Snuff
- Portion US-Style Moist Snuff
- Swedish-Style Snus
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- Closed System Single Use
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- Closed System Rechargeable (including starter kits)
- Closed System Cartridges
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- Open Vaping Systems Charging and Vapourising Devices
- E-liquids
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- Tobacco Heating Devices
- Heated Tobacco
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- Nicotine Pouches
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- Closed System Single Use (Illicit+Legal)
- Closed System Cartridges (Illicit+Legal)
- E-Liquids (Illicit+Legal)
Tobacco
Passport Tobacco covers the seven major tobacco categories: Cigarettes, Cigars & Cigarillos, Smoking tobacco (made up of Pipe tobacco and RYO tobacco), Smokeless Tobacco (snuff and chewing tobacco), E-Vapour Products (closed and open); Heated Tobacco; and Tobacco Free Oral Nicotine. Smoking paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, lighters or matches, etc., are not included, nor are nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, which are part of Euromonitor's Passport Consumer Healthcare database.
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
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This report originates from Passport, our Tobacco research and analysis database.
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