Greece

As no Greek government has managed so far to banish smoking in public places, the State is losing close to 1 billion euros every year from the sale of contraband tobacco and cigarettes. Tax raises and special levies on cigarettes...

The Health Ministry in Greece has drafted a bill that would prohibit the usage of electronic cigarettes in public enclosed places. The bill was tabled in Parliament on Friday as the ministry has equated the electronic cigarettes as a potential...

The legendary Sante cigarettes are no longer in production after 85 years. The characteristic flat-box package with the drawing of a blonde woman had become a cult object in Greece. In fact Sante was so popular among avid smokers that...

Fast Market Research, a leading company in the market research field, has conducted a study regarding cigarette consumption in Greece. The study, entitled "World Cigarettes Greece," focused on the way the cigarette market has evolved in the country over the last 12...

The Greek Government has announced a rise on the special consumption tax on cigarettes. As a result periptero owners are reportedly considering to strike at the end of this month to protest the damage on their business by this new tax regulation. They...

Greeks have finally understood the problem of smoking and are kicking the habit, says a leading authority on public health. Speaking to the Greek Reporter, Prof. Panagiotis Behrakis, Director of the Public Health Institute at the American College of Greece...

Greece's public debt increased to 185% of GDP in 2014, Deputy Finance Minister Dimitris Mardas said in a press briefing on Wednesday, presenting figures from the state's General Accounting Office. He expressed his concern over the debt's upward trend, stressing that it...

André Calantzopoulos, 55, will take over the leadership of the international tobacco company Philip Morris on May 8 following his appointment on March 18 in New York by the board of directors. He will step into the job in a...

Greece continues to have the 2nd highest rate of C&C (Counterfeit and Contraband, including Illicit Whites) consumption in the EU, at 19% of total consumption, KPMG said in a Project Sun key findings report prepared for the Royal United...

Philip Morris, maker of Marlboro cigarettes, is to invest 300 million euros in its Greek unit Papastratos to make the smokeless IQOS product, Reuters says. IQOS is a device that heats real tobacco refills to produce tobacco-flavored vapor instead of...

Higher excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco are forcing consumers to turn to contraband products and subsequently lead to reduced state revenues, industry experts say. The imposition of the special consumption tax on alcohol products (EFKOP) has prompted many Greeks...

Greek State Minister Panagiotis Nikoloudis presented on Thursday the government’s draft legislation to suppress the cigarette and tobacco "black market." The law introduces production line inspection, as well as packaging, trade, distribution and retail sales, with the proposition to prevent illegal trade and...

Organized crime in Greece generates a little under 3.6 billion euros per year, with contraband products playing a major part, according to a European Commission study. According to the report titled "From Illegal Markets to Legitimate Businesses: The Portfolio of...

The Greek government is losing up to 1 billion euros every year from the sale of contraband cigarettes and tobacco. Last year, Greece lost an estimated 740 million euros in revenue, up from 565 million euros in 2013. The figures...

The Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) noted on Thursday that any efforts to raise taxes on tobacco products in Greece will only lead to further losses in public revenue as the illegal tobacco trade will extend. According to data presented...