According to a recent study commissioned by FiMO International and conducted by PwC, the consumption of counterfeit cigarettes in the UK has surged by over one-third in 2021. This information was reported by Talking Retail.
Therefore, since research began 16 years ago, the number of counterfeit cigarettes in the UK has surpassed 3 billion for the first time.
Cem Uzundal, the head of FIMO International in the UK, stated that "the KPMG report highlights the increasing prevalence of illegal tobacco and e-cigarettes in the UK, with the situation deteriorating over the past five years.
Government officials, tobacco manufacturers, and even convenience retailers can work to address this issue by reporting stores that sell illegal tobacco to provide assistance.
Former Scotland Yard detective and chief inspector, Will O'Reilly, regularly tests the purchase of illicit products on behalf of international firm, Fimo. He stated, "The report from KPMG highlights what my team has been seeing on UK streets month after month - illegal products, especially counterfeit ones, being sold on a large scale.
Organized crime groups appear to believe that the risk of being caught is low, as they are willing to load containers destined for the UK with a profit of approximately £1.5 million ($1.79 million) per container.
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