The various cigarette price increases in 2026
The year 2026 is marked by an unprecedented succession of tobacco price increases. After several years of annual price rises, the authorities have this time chosen to spread the increases throughout the year in order to exert constant pricing pressure on tobacco products.
Since the start of the year, five increases have already come into force:
- 1st January 2026;
- 1st February 2026;
- 1st March 2026;
- 1st June 2026;
- 1st September.
The timetable is not yet complete, however, as a final price revision is expected on 1st November 2026.
This strategy allows manufacturers to gradually adjust their prices while supporting the anti-smoking policy pursued by public authorities.
The cigarette price increase on 1st January 2026
The first increase of the year came into force on 1st January 2026. It covered all tobacco products, whether cigarettes, rolling tobacco, cigars or heated tobacco.
The increases recorded were generally between 10 and 50 cents per packet of 20 cigarettes. This first revision notably allowed several very popular brands to cross the symbolic €13 threshold.
Among the main changes observed:
- Marlboro: €13 vs €12.50 in 2025;
- Camel: €13 vs €12.50;
- Winston: €13 vs €12.50;
- Chesterfield: €13 vs €12.50;
- Philip Morris: €13 vs €12.50;
- Dunhill: €13.50 vs €13.20;
- Gauloises: €12.60 vs €12.30;
- Gitanes: €14.20 vs €14.10.
This increase marked the start of a particularly eventful year for French smokers.
The cigarette price increase on 1st February 2026
Just one month after the January increase, a new price update came into effect on 1st February 2026.
This time, the increases affected a more limited number of products, but some iconic brands still saw their prices go up.
Among the main changes:
- Lucky Strike: €12.50 → €12.70 (+€0.20);
- Dunhill: €13.50 → €13.70 (+€0.20);
- Gauloises blondes: €12.60 → €13 (+€0.40).
Conversely, several major brands such as Marlboro, Camel, Winston, Chesterfield and Philip Morris remained stable at this point.
This second increase confirmed the intention of public authorities and manufacturers to apply regular adjustments rather than a single large-scale rise.
The cigarette price increase on 1st March 2026
1st March 2026 marked the third increase of the year and one of the most significant in terms of the number of references affected.
Several brands recorded increases of 20 to 40 cents per packet, with rises sometimes exceeding 3%.
Among the most notable changes:
- Lucky Strike Bleu: €12.70 → €13 (+€0.30, i.e. +2.36%);
- Dunhill Rouge: €13.70 → €14 (+€0.30, i.e. +2.19%);
- Dunhill Rouge Select: €13.80 → €14.10 (+€0.30, i.e. +2.17%);
- Vogue L'Originale Bleue: €13.20 → €13.50 (+€0.30, i.e. +2.27%);
- Vogue L'Originale Verte Ice: €12.60 → €13 (+€0.40, i.e. +3.17%);
- Rothmans Bleu: €12.70 → €13 (+€0.30, i.e. +2.36%);
- News Classic Red: €12.80 → €13 (+€0.20, i.e. +1.56%);
- JPS Classic Blue: €12.80 → €13 (+€0.20, i.e. +1.56%).
Some references, however, remained unchanged:
- Marlboro Red: €13.50;
- Camel Filters: €13;
- Winston Classic: €13;
- Philip Morris Bleue: €13;
- Gauloises Blondes Bleu: €13;
- Gitanes Filtre: €14.60.
Relatively unusually, some products even recorded a price decrease. This was notably the case for Fortuna Classic Rouge, which dropped from €11.50 to €11.40.
This March increase helped firmly establish the €13 threshold as the reference price for most packets sold in France.
The cigarette price increase on 1st June 2026
After several months without change, a new price revision came into force on 1st June 2026.
Unlike the March increase, this update proved more limited for traditional cigarettes. Few major national brands saw their prices change, but several specific references were still affected.
Among the increases observed:
- JPS Blanc 20 cigarettes: €12.70 → €13;
- JPS Cristal Blanc 20 cigarettes: €12.70 → €13;
- JPS Firm Filter Rouge 20 cigarettes: €12.70 → €13;
- Austin Blue U Ribellu: €10.90 → €11.
Heated tobacco products also saw a notable increase. Some Heets references went up by one euro, reaching €11.50.
June also brought a surprise with price reductions on several references from the Vogue brand:
- Vogue L'Essentielle Bleue: €13.50 → €12;
- Vogue L'Optimum Gold: €13 → €11.50.
These decreases are all the more remarkable given that several Vogue references had seen their prices rise by 30 to 40 cents during the March increase.
Despite these few downward adjustments, the general trend remains one of a progressive increase in the cost of tobacco in France.
The cigarette price increase on 1st September 2026
A new tobacco pricing schedule came into force on 1st September 2026. Published by the Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes, it this time provides for limited changes to cigarettes. The majority of major brands are keeping their prices.
A few references do, however, show variations:
- Mademoiselle La Blanchissime: €11.10 → €11.20 (+€0.10);
- Mademoiselle La Bleue: €11.10 → €11.20 (+€0.10);
- Luckies Red Longues by Lucky Strike: €11.50 → €11.20 (-€0.30);
- Pueblo Classic: €10.60 → €10.50 (-€0.10).
1st September also marks the arrival of new references, such as Lucky Strike Crafted XXL Red and Baroudeur rolling tobacco, while certain products such as Amsterdamer, Django and Old Holborn Original disappear from the catalogue.
This new change therefore remains relatively moderate compared to the previous increases of 2026. It nonetheless forms part of the policy of progressively raising tobacco prices, with the aim of reaching an average price of €13 per packet by 2027.
Why so many increases in 2026?
The pricing policy pursued in 2026 serves a public health objective. Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in France, with nearly 75,000 deaths attributed to its consumption each year.
Health authorities have long considered that raising cigarette prices is one of the most effective levers for reducing the number of smokers, particularly among young people.
Rather than a sharp increase likely to trigger anticipatory buying behaviour or encourage certain workarounds, public authorities now favour regular increases spread throughout the year.
The stated aim is to keep the prices of the main packets sustainably around €13 or more by 2027.
What impact on smokers' budgets?
These successive increases are weighing ever more heavily on consumers' budgets.
For a smoker consuming one €13 packet per day, the monthly budget now amounts to nearly €390, or approximately €4,750 per year.
For premium brands exceeding €14 per packet, the annual bill can even exceed €5,000.
The upcoming increases planned for September and November 2026 could further accentuate this trend.
Faced with the ongoing rise in the cost of tobacco, many smokers are questioning what solutions are available to reduce their spending while continuing their nicotine consumption.
Le Vapoteur Discount supports you in quitting smoking
In the face of the regular rise in cigarette prices, many smokers are today choosing e-cigarettes as part of their smoking cessation journey.
Vaping generally allows you to significantly reduce the budget spent on nicotine while offering the possibility of gradually adjusting your dosage.
Le Vapoteur Discount helps thousands of smokers every year make the transition to e-cigarettes, thanks to a wide selection of equipment suited to both beginners and experienced users.
On our shop you will find e-cigarettes, pods, e-liquids and accessories selected to meet the needs of people wishing to stop smoking or reduce their tobacco consumption.
As the next cigarette price increases are already scheduled for September and November 2026, many smokers are choosing to anticipate these new rises in order to protect both their budget and their smoking cessation efforts.
