Tourist hotspot promoting fags for 98p for pack of 20 with UK costliest
Statistics show that the UK is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a packet of cigarettes.
It’s no secret that the price of cigarettes has skyrocketed. The average price of a pack of smokes in the UK is now an eye-watering £15.85.
Pre-rolled cigarettes have almost doubled in price compared to a decade ago, when consumers could expect to pay an average of £8.40 per pack.
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Although cigarette costs in the UK have risen due to tobacco tax and inflation, it seems the rest of the world have not followed suit. These are the cheapest places globally to buy a pack o’ fags, according to global database Numbeo.
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Grabbing the top spot is Vietnam – where the average price of a 20 pack of cigarettes is just $1.29, or £0.98. The accessible price has led smoking to be considered a major health concern in the country, where more than 50% of Vietnamese men partake in the habit.
There are 70 others countries that all average under a fiver for a 20-pack, including South Korea, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa. On the other side of the spectrum, the most expensive place in the world to buy cigarettes is noted as Australia.
Smokers down under can expect to pay an average of $30.62 (over £23) for a pack of Marlboro. New Zealand is the next in line, charging £19.11, before the UK takes the third spot.
(Image: Getty Images)
It’s no wonder that UK smokers are turning to vapes, despite concerns that e-cigarettes are not as well-researched as their tobacco counterpart. UCL research has revealed that switching to e-cigarettes could save consumers around £780 a year.
It’s also possible that smoking is about to get even more expensive, with BBC experts protecting that a pack of pre-rolled smokes may soon cost more than £16. Rising costs are prompting more and more smokers to quit their nicotine habit, which is predicted to have a positive affect on a struggling NHS.
The national health service has long since encouraged smokers to quit smoking by using vapes. Consumers are encouraged to gradually wean themselves off of nicotine altogether by using the handheld devices.
(Image: Getty Images)
Soon, e-cigs could be favoured over tobacco for other reasons . This week, government ministers teased the idea of tightening outdoor smoking rules.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants to toughen rules on smoking to stop preventable tobacco-related deaths. So far, the proposed law is unclear, but could see a ban on smoking in pub gardens, outdoor restaurants, outside hospitals and on sports grounds.
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