Cigarette Sales Increase Despite Anti-Smoking Campaign in Korea

Feb.16.2023

South Korean cigarette sales rose 1.1% in 2022 despite anti-smoking campaigns, but demand for non-burning tobacco products surged.

The South Korean Ministry of Finance announced that despite the government's anti-smoking campaign, there was a 1.1% year-on-year increase in cigarette sales in South Korea in 2022.

According to data from the Ministry of Finance, Korean smokers purchased 3.63 billion packs of 20-cigarette boxes in 2022, which is higher than the 3.59 billion packs purchased the year before. However, this number has already decreased by 16.8% compared to 2014.

In January 2015, the government raised cigarette prices from 2,500 Korean won (equivalent to 13 Chinese yuan) per pack to 4,500 Korean won (24 yuan), an 80% increase, in an effort to reduce smoking rates and tobacco consumption.

In comparison to 2021, there has been a 1.8% decrease in demand for traditional cigarettes in 2022, while the demand for heated tobacco products has skyrocketed by 21.3%.

Data source: South Korean Ministry of Finance.

References:

According to recent data, there has been an uptick in cigarette sales in South Korea in 2022.

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