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Fitness & Health

08th Oct 2019

Budget 2020: Price of packet of 20 cigarettes increases by 50 cent, alcohol remains unchanged

Rudi Kinsella

cigarette price increase

The price of a packet of cigarettes will increase from Wednesday.

The price of a packet of cigarettes will increase by 50 cent from Wednesday (9 October), it was confirmed in the budget announced by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday.

The price increase, which had been flagged in advance, will bring the price of an average box of cigarettes to over €13.

There will also be a proportional increase on other tobacco products, such as roll-your-own cigarettes.

The Irish Cancer Society has welcomed the news of the increase in the price of cigarettes, saying: “Regular, sharp increases in cost of cigarettes is the most effective way of getting people to quit. This must go side by side with proven supports for people to quit!”

Simon Harris has also said that more funding for cancer strategy would be made available, with over €1 billion extra for the health service promised.

Ireland is already one of the most expensive countries in Europe to buy tobacco, with the price increasing every year.

You can find out the main talking points from Budget 2020 here.