In the last six months, 86% of smokers were sold Illegal roll your own tobacco (RYO) and fake cigarettes across Staffordshire, new research from JTI reveals.
The research reveals that in total, 81% of respondents have bought one of the following three types of cigarettes:
- 55% of smokers in Staffordshire have bought cigarettes which they perceived to be fake
- 43% have bought cigarettes featuring another language on the packaging
- 24% have bought cigarettes which have been purchased through a friend/family abroad
What is more worrying is that over half (53%) would not report it.
male smokers are the biggest culprits when it comes to buying illegal cigarettes, with 66% compared to 29% of women buying cigarettes perceived to be fake.
It is worth knowing that more women (32%) buy cigarettes purchased through a friend/family from abroad than men (20%). However more men (48%) have bought foreign cigarettes from a stranger, then women (29%).
Furthermore, 47% of smokers said they would consider purchasing illegal tobacco.
The fact that it’s readily available is the reason over half of smokers in Staffordshire (51%) buy illegal tobacco. Other reasons included ‘saving money’ (48%), smaller packs not being available (30%) and it tasting the same as legal tobacco.
1 in 3 retailers in Stoke have been found to be selling illegal tobacco. JTI’s test purchasing has revealed that the illegal tobacco trade in Staffordshire appears to have spread from retail outlets on to the streets (market stalls, street sellers and pubs). This means that the link to serious and organised crime is ever increasing.
Far from being a victimless crime, the illegal tobacco trade makes it easier for children to have access to tobacco products and helps fund organised crime!
According to the UK government, illegal tobacco makes up around 13% of the cigarette market. That’s 32% of RYO tobacco in the UK. This resulted in around £2.4 billion of lost tax revenue in 2017.
Interestingly of those surveyed only 47% are worried about getting in trouble with the law. The possibility of funding organised criminal gangs only worries 23%. But the biggest concern (52%) for most is that the quality wouldn’t be the same.
View the full case study here to find out how we carried out this research and the coverage it generated.
