Did you know? Corsica benefits from an advantage on tobacco prices, authorized to sell a packet of cigarettes cheaper than elsewhere in France. But this advantage is eroding. Since January 1, the price of the package is only 5% lower than the amount charged in the rest of France, reaching 12.40 euros on the island compared to 12.50 or even 13 euros elsewhere. José Oliva, president of the tobacconists’ union of Corsica, denounces among our colleagues in Parisian “this famous catch-up”, especially since in 2026 the price of tobacco will really be the same in Corsica and on the continent.
The price gap in Corsica was born from a tax loophole dated 1811 and reached up to 25% on a package. A government measure adopted in 2020 aims to gradually eliminate this niche and tobacconists fear the economic consequences. They mention a loss of 20% in turnover while tobacco still weighs heavily in the sector of activity, which employs 800 people on the island.
And the public health issue is not enough to convince, even though the number of deaths caused by lung cancer is 27.5% higher in Corsica than elsewhere in France. José Oliva and his colleagues fear that the increase in pack prices in Corsica will encourage the import of cheaper foreign cigarettes. “Price harmonization on a European scale could be a solution,” believes the president of the tobacconists’ union. Other European countries, regularly pointing the finger at Luxembourg, also argue in this direction.
Belgium
