French Public Perception of Tobacco Price Increases and Their Impact on Motivation to Quit

Implemented as part of the 2018–2022 National Tobacco Control Program, the increase in tobacco taxes is one of the most effective measures for reducing consumption^[3] and protecting public health. France ranks among the European countries with the highest prices for a pack of cigarettes. For smokers, price is an important factor in choosing the type of tobacco they consume but can also be a real trigger for quitting smoking.

Tobacco tax increases considered justified by nearly half of French people

In 2018, nearly half (48.3%) of French people believe that increases in tobacco taxes are justified. Respondents’ opinions vary depending on their smoking status. Only 28.0% of smokers find the increases justified (26.1% among daily smokers). Meanwhile, 51.9% of former smokers and 62.4% of non-smokers consider them justified^[1].

Price increases: a real motivation to quit smoking

In 2018, while only 28% of smokers (occasional and daily) considered tobacco tax increases justified, 43.6% admitted that they serve as a motivating factor to quit smoking. There is no difference between the responses of men and women, but young smokers are more likely than older age groups to find that the price of tobacco is a motivation to quit. Socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers also report being as motivated by tax increases to quit as their more advantaged counterparts^[1].
Among former daily smokers in 2018 who had quit within the past five years, 39.8% stated that tobacco price increases motivated them to quit^[1].

Tobacco price increases therefore encourage a large number of smokers to quit. These measures are legitimate and effective as part of a comprehensive tobacco control policy that also includes smoking cessation support measures.

Analyzing consumption habits to improve tobacco control

According to the Santé publique France Barometer, in 2018, 74.0% of occasional or daily smokers reported consuming manufactured cigarettes (51.6% exclusively), 35.7% used rolling tobacco (16.2% exclusively), 6.6% used cigarillos (1.3% exclusively), 6.1% used cigars (0.8% exclusively), 1.8% smoked a pipe (0.2% exclusively), and 9.4% smoked shisha, even if only occasionally (4.1% exclusively)^[2].

The proportion of smokers consuming manufactured cigarettes has been declining for the past decade, falling from 88.2% in 2010 to 74.0% in 2018. At the same time, the proportion of smokers of roll-your-own tobacco rose sharply between 2010 (24.0%) and 2014 (35.2%) and has remained relatively stable since then. In 2018, cigarette smokers (daily and occasional) smoked an average of 6.9 manufactured cigarettes per day and 3.9 hand-rolled cigarettes per day, compared to 10.9 and 2.7, respectively, in 2005^[2].

In 2018, compared to smokers who consume only manufactured cigarettes, smokers of roll-your-own tobacco are more often men (58% vs. 49%) and younger people (44% were under 35 vs. 34%). Furthermore, the use of roll-your-own tobacco is more common among socio-economically disadvantaged individuals: 58% have a level of education below a high school diploma or no diploma at all, and 49% are in the lowest income bracket (compared to 48% and 29%, respectively, of smokers who exclusively use manufactured cigarettes)^[2].

Rolling tobacco is generally cheaper than manufactured cigarettes in France^[5]. Several studies highlight the fact that price is often cited by smokers as a reason for choosing to smoke roll-your-own tobacco. Thus, tax increases—which have historically been higher for manufactured cigarettes—may have prompted some smokers to switch to roll-your-own tobacco over the past decade in France^[6,7,8]. Since 2016, as part of the PNLT price increases, the price gap between manufactured cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco has narrowed significantly: the price of a pack of the best-selling brand of cigarettes rose by 13% between 2016 and 2018, while, over the same period, the price of a pack of the best-selling brand of rolling tobacco rose by 42%. Future surveys by Santé publique France’s Baromètres will help identify any shifts in trends regarding smokers’ behavior.