Cigarette Price Increase on February 1st and Upcoming Rises in 2026

Cigarette price increases: what you need to know in 2026

Following the increase of January 1st, 2026, France is continuing its anti-smoking policy by progressively raising cigarette prices. This strategy, pursued for over a decade, aims to make tobacco increasingly expensive in order to deter consumers, particularly young people, and to encourage smokers to reduce or quit their consumption.

The new increase effective February 1st, 2026 concerns:

• Cigarettes;
• Cigars and cigarillos;
• Roll-your-own tobacco;
• Heated tobacco.

Increases vary by brand and product, generally ranging from 10 to 40 cents per pack of 20 cigarettes. But rather than targeting large, one-off hikes, the current policy is based on a succession of small increases throughout 2026, so that pack prices gradually reach a higher level without creating a sudden shock for consumers.

Unfortunately, further successive increases are expected on February 1st, March 1st, June 1st, September 1st, November 1st and January 1st, 2027.

Prices of the best-selling packs on February 1st, 2026

Here is the price evolution for certain popular brands, with a comparison against prices from early January 2026:

• Lucky Strike: €12.50 → €12.70 (+€0.20)
• Dunhill: €13.50 → €13.70 (+€0.20)
• Camel: €13 → stable
• Winston: €13 → stable
• Marlboro: €13 → stable
• Chesterfield: €13 → stable
• Philip Morris: €13 → stable
• Gauloises blondes: €12.60 → €13 (+€0.40)
• Gitanes / Gauloises brunes: €14.20 → stable
• Fortuna: €11.50 → stable

As we can see, the majority of cigarette packs are approaching or exceeding the symbolic threshold of €13, while certain premium references, such as Dunhill or Gitanes, already surpass this level.

A policy of successive increases rather than sudden hikes

In 2026, the government is applying a strategy of gradual and regular increases rather than large one-off hikes. Specifically:

• Each brand undergoes small increases every few weeks or months, rather than one big price jump all at once.

• This method helps reduce the shock for consumers, while maintaining economic pressure to discourage consumption.

• The goal is to progressively reach a high price floor for all packs, around or above €13, while giving smokers time to adapt and consider alternatives, such as quitting or vaping.

This approach has the advantage of maintaining a long-term deterrent effect, particularly for young people just starting out, while preserving a predictable pace for regular smokers.

The role of vaping in quitting smoking

Faced with rising tobacco costs, many smokers are turning to the e-cigarette, which offers several advantages:

• Cost-effective: even with an initial investment for equipment, the long-term cost is significantly lower than that of tobacco.

• Less harmful: vaping produces no tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most dangerous components of cigarette smoke.

• Nicotine control: the ability to gradually reduce the dose to facilitate quitting.

To measure potential savings, our Vape VS Tobacco calculator allows you to quickly compare your tobacco budget with the cost of vaping.

Support from Le Vapoteur Discount

The Vapoteur Discount offers products suited to all profiles, from beginners to experienced vapers:

• E-cigarettes, pods and e-liquids at affordable prices;
• Personalized advice for choosing the most suitable equipment;
• Information on smoking cessation and the transition to vaping.

This approach allows smokers to preserve their health and budget, while remaining in control of their nicotine consumption.