Tobacco in 2024: The big picture
Tobacco in Switzerland continued to be impacted by rising consumer health awareness and falling social acceptance of smoking. The demand for tobacco/nicotine products was largely stable in Switzerland in 2024. The declining demand for cigarettes and falling number of cigarette smokers were largely offset by increasing interest in newer tobacco types. Namely, retail volume sales of heated tobacco, nicotine pouches and e-vapour products continued to see fast growth rates.
2024 key trends
Retail current value sales of tobacco rose strongly in 2024. Cigarettes remained the dominant category, despite a drop in retail volume sales. Meanwhile, retail current value sales of cigarettes rose, albeit moderately at the end of the review period. This was due to the successful enforcement of modest price increases and Swiss consumers’ preference for higher-priced bands.
Competitive landscape
Philip Morris remained the leading company in tobacco overall in retail volume terms in 2024. The company’s major brands were Marlboro and Chesterfield in cigarettes and fine cut tobacco and Iqos, HEETS and TEREA in heated tobacco products. In cigarettes, the player benefited from the unique, prestigious reputation of Marlboro and the very successful launches of a number of big packs with more than 20 sticks offering significant savings potential for consumers. It has also benefited most from strong growth in retail volume and value sales of heated tobacco products, where its brands have become largely synonymous with the entire category. Consequently, Philip Morris was also the most dynamic player within tobacco overall in 2024, registering the highest retail volume share growth. As for 2025, the manufacturer has already been released information that it will enter the promising closed system rechargeable and cartridges arena in Switzerland with VEEV ONE.
Retail developments
Major movement was not registered in the retail volume shares of tobacco players in 2024. Discounters remained the leader in cigarettes and smoking tobacco and strong in cigars and cigarillos. However, the competition intensified. For example, in the main category, cigarettes, discounters’ retail volume share dropped marginally in 2024, as convenience retailers, supermarkets and retail e-commerce made small gains.
What next for tobacco?
Tobacco in Switzerland is projected to see a modest retail current value CAGR (a marginal CAGR at constant 2024 prices) over the forecast period. Growth is set to be underpinned by the performances of newer tobacco products and upward pressures on prices. However, the demand for cigarettes is expected to fall strongly, with decreases also expected in retail value (current and at constant 2024 prices) sales. Thus, cigarettes can be seen to have left behind the unexpected impulses experienced during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, when, critically, the opportunities for cross-border purchases were limited. However, with stricter regulation on shopping tourism coming into effect in 2025, similar impulses may be visible for cigarettes.
Delivery:
Files are delivered directly into your account soon after payment is received and any tax is certification is verified (where applicable).
This report comes in PDF with additional info in Excel included.
Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Tobacco industry in Switzerland 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 Switzerland, 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 Switzerland 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 Switzerland?
- Which are the leading brands in Tobacco in Switzerland?
- How are products distributed in Tobacco in Switzerland?
- Which category is the most heavily taxed in Switzerland?
- How is the operating environment for Tobacco changing?
- What are the current legislative restrictions applicable to the sale of Tobacco products in Switzerland?
- 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 Switzerland
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
Health warnings
Plain packaging
Advertising and sponsorship
Point-of-sale display bans
Smoking in public places
Flavoured tobacco product ban
Vapour products
PRODUCTION/IMPORTS/EXPORTS
DISCLAIMER
Cigarettes in Switzerland
KEY DATA FINDINGS
The decline in the demand for cigarettes continues at a moderate pace
The launch of big packs helps Philip Morris to consolidate its leading position
New legislation influences the product offer
The decline in the demand for cigarettes is expected to accelerate again
Uncertain impact of new restrictions on shopping tourism
No significant innovation is expected in cigarettes
Taxation rates
Average cigarette pack price breakdown
Cigars, Cigarillos and Smoking Tobacco in Switzerland
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco follow long-term growth trends
Leaders consolidate their positions
Largely stable distribution landscape
Falling demand expected across categories
Cuban cigars to remain in the spotlight
Innovation is expected to play a small role
Smokeless Tobacco, E-Vapour Products and Heated Tobacco in Switzerland
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Legislator reacts to increasing use of newer nicotine products
Big tobacco is increasingly prominent in newer product categories
First regional bans on closed system single use favour rechargeable vapes
Likely nationwide ban on closed system single use is not expected to end the general growth trend
British American Tobacco Switzerland may withdraw from heated tobacco
Philip Morris to enter closed system rechargeable and cartridges
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Tobacco
-
-
- Fine Cut Cigarettes
-
- Cigarettes (Illicit+Legal)
-
-
- Cigars
- Cigarillos
-
- Pipe Tobacco
- Fine Cut Tobacco
-
-
-
- Chewing Tobacco
-
-
- Loose US-Style Moist Snuff
- Portion US-Style Moist Snuff
- Swedish-Style Snus
-
-
-
- Closed System Single Use
-
- Closed System Rechargeable (including starter kits)
- Closed System Cartridges
-
- Open Vaping Systems Charging and Vapourising Devices
- E-liquids
-
-
- Tobacco Heating Devices
- Heated Tobacco
-
- Nicotine Pouches
-
-
- 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?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Tobacco research and analysis database.
NEW REPORT GUARANTEE
If you purchase a report that is updated in the next 60 days, we will send you the new edition and data extraction Free!