Tobacco in 2024: The big picture
Tobacco in Slovakia recorded overall value growth in 2024, largely driven by price inflation and an excise tax hike on cigarettes. However, volume sales continued to decline across most traditional tobacco categories, reflecting the impact of rising prices, evolving legislation, and a shift in consumer behaviour. As smoking prevalence declined and health awareness increased, demand continued to pivot toward modern, perceived less harmful alternatives, including e-vapour and heated tobacco products. At the same time, constrained purchasing power led to further market polarisation, with consumers opting either for more affordable options or premium, lifestyle-driven products.
2024 key trends
Tobacco volume sales in Slovakia declined slightly in 2024, while value sales rose. This growth in value terms was largely driven by rising unit prices, prompted by an excise tax increase and broader inflationary pressures. At the same time, demand continued to shift toward perceived lower-risk alternatives, including heated tobacco and e-vapour products. Value sales also benefited from consumer stockpiling of heated tobacco flavours ahead of the planned 2025 ban and strong performance across vaping categories, particularly single-use devices.
Competitive landscape
Philip Morris retained its position as the leading company within tobacco in Slovakia in 2024. The company’s portfolio spans both traditional and next-generation products, with strong representation through its Marlboro and L&M cigarette brands, as well as its flagship heated tobacco system, IQoS. Despite its leadership, Philip Morris saw a marginal decline of 2 percentage points in volume share in 2024, reflecting intensifying competitive pressures. The company continues to invest heavily in innovation and promotion, particularly at the point of sale the only legal channel for tobacco advertising in Slovakia. Its strategic pivot towards heated tobacco and closed system single-use devices signals a shift in focus, aligning with changing consumer preferences and declining demand for traditional cigarettes.
Retail developments
Food/drinks/tobacco specialists remained the leading distribution channel for tobacco in Slovakia in 2024. The channel’s share declined only marginally over the year, as specialist retailers continued to offer a compelling value proposition through wide product assortments, knowledgeable staff, and a high level of category expertise. These stores often carry an extended range of tobacco accessories and premium products across various price points, giving consumers the opportunity to select items that suit their preferences and budgets. The specialised nature of these outlets has helped retain customer loyalty, despite growing competition from more accessible retail formats.
What next for tobacco?
Tobacco sales in Slovakia are expected to fall in volume terms over the forecast period, while growing in value terms. The market will continue to be shaped by a declining smoking population and a sustained upward trajectory in average unit prices. These prices will be influenced not only by inflationary pressure, but also by successive tax increases. In 2025, for instance, the VAT rate on tobacco was raised from 20% to 23%, contributing to widespread price hikes across tobacco categories. These factors are set to place downward pressure on volume demand, even as value sales remain buoyed by rising prices.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Tobacco industry in Slovakia 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 Slovakia, 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 Slovakia 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 Slovakia?
- Which are the leading brands in Tobacco in Slovakia?
- How are products distributed in Tobacco in Slovakia?
- Which category is the most heavily taxed in Slovakia?
- How is the operating environment for Tobacco changing?
- What are the current legislative restrictions applicable to the sale of Tobacco products in Slovakia?
- 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 Slovakia
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
Tar levels
Health warnings
Plain packaging
Advertising and sponsorship
Point-of-sale display bans
Smoking in public places
Low ignition propensity (LIP) cigarette regulation
Flavoured tobacco product ban
Reduced harm
Vapour products
PRODUCTION/IMPORTS/EXPORTS
DISCLAIMER
Cigarettes in Slovakia
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Volume sales continue to decline amid regulatory pressure and changing consumer preferences
Leading players shift focus as the category loses strategic priority
Value-conscious consumers shift purchases to hypermarkets
Continued decline in volume sales amid shifting consumer preferences and rising taxation
Short-term relief from tax freeze offers limited support
Innovation remains focused on packaging and limited editions
Taxation rates
Average cigarette pack price breakdown
Cigars, Cigarillos and Smoking Tobacco in Slovakia
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Premiumisation and regulatory shifts shape performance
Competitive pressures intensify across both cigars and smoking tobacco
Specialist retailers consolidate their dominance amid premiumisation and shifting consumer habits
Premiumisation to support value sales as volumes stagnate or decline
Flavoured water-pipe tobacco gains ground in urban centres
Regulatory tightening and taxation expected to limit innovation and dampen demand
Smokeless Tobacco, E-Vapour Products and Heated Tobacco in Slovakia
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Alternative tobacco products benefit from shifting preferences despite regulatory pressure
Strong competition reshapes the leadership landscape
Specialist channels retain strength, but convenience gains ground
Premiumisation and legislation drive divergent outcomes across categories
Flavour bans and regulation prompt shifts in category preferences
Innovation explores nicotine-free and hybrid product formats
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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