The size of tobacco pouches changing from 12.5 to 25 and 30 Grams.

bodhrandude

I notice now at my local Centra in Salthill that my particular brand of rolling tobacco Cutters Choice can only be bought now in 30 g rather than the normal 12.5 g. I was in another shop today where the woman told me that the normal 12.5 g was going to be changing to a 25 g package or in the case of Centra 30 g. Where was the press release about this, it just fecking happened without telling the consumer.

Edit: If mods feel this is inappropriate here would the smoking forum be the place to put this, it is a consumer issue though as it concerns pricing of a product.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Has the price change been proportionate?

former total

bodhrandude wrote: »

I notice now at my local Centra in Salthill that my particular brand of rolling tobacco Cutters Choice can only be bought now in 30 g rather than the normal 12.5 g. I was in another shop today where the woman told me that the normal 12.5 g was going to be changing to a 25 g package or in the case of Centra 30 g. Where was the press release about this, it just fecking happened without telling the consumer.

Edit: If mods feel this is inappropriate here would the smoking forum be the place to put this, it is a consumer issue though as it concerns pricing of a product.

It's tobacco. They can't issue a press release. They can't tell the consumer anything.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I've have never seen a press release when the size of packaging for any product changed.

theteal

Galway forum. . . or maybe AH. . .not sure if it's serious

newacc2015

bodhrandude wrote: »

I notice now at my local Centra in Salthill that my particular brand of rolling tobacco Cutters Choice can only be bought now in 30 g rather than the normal 12.5 g. I was in another shop today where the woman told me that the normal 12.5 g was going to be changing to a 25 g package or in the case of Centra 30 g. Where was the press release about this, it just fecking happened without telling the consumer.

Edit: If mods feel this is inappropriate here would the smoking forum be the place to put this, it is a consumer issue though as it concerns pricing of a product.

Why would there be a PR? Advertising of Tobacco is completely illegal. Plus even if it wasnt, rollies make up a fraction of the Tobacco sales in Ireland. You dont see any other niche product advertising price changes to the mass market

ben.schlomo

theteal wrote: »

Galway forum. . . or maybe AH. . .not sure if it's serious

We dont want it.

Del2005

Josephine Salty Flab wrote: »

I've have never seen a press release when the size of packaging for any product changed.

You must of missed the ban on selling 10 packs of cigarettes then. Loads of press releases saying how good it was to double the price people had to pay to feed their addiction, not mentioning the fact that some people may have smoked more as they can only buy 20 not 10.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Del2005 wrote: »

You must of missed the ban on selling 10 packs of cigarettes then. Loads of press releases saying how good it was to double the price people had to pay to feed their addiction, not mentioning the fact that some people may have smoked more as they can only buy 20 not 10.

Different scenario, that was a ban.

Del2005

newacc2015 wrote: »

Why would there be a PR? Advertising of Tobacco is completely illegal. Plus even if it wasnt, rollies make up a fraction of the Tobacco sales in Ireland. You dont see any other niche product advertising price changes to the mass market

Are you sure about rollies being a fraction? I only know one person who is still smoking pre made cigarettes, everyone else is on rollies and vapping.

ScouseMouse

Here you go. Blame europe.

http://www.jti.com/our-company/where-we-operate/europe/ireland/english/in-focus/eu-tobacco-products-directive/

newacc2015

Del2005 wrote: »

Are you sure about rollies being a fraction? I only know one person who is still smoking pre made cigarettes, everyone else is on rollies and vapping.

Yeah. I read a retail trade publication 2/3 years ago ( I think Checkout) and they said rollies only make up really low single digit sales. They said they are only tobacco brands growing in Ireland though

I asked a few local shops do they sell rollies much because I surprised with the article( I live in the suburbs of Dublin) and they said they hardly sell any.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Quit smoking. Then you don't have to worry about it. You'll also have quite a bit of cash saved too.

As said already, the advertising of anything tobacco-related is illegal.

coylemj

bodhrandude wrote: »

Where was the press release about this, it just fecking happened without telling the consumer.

When was the last time you saw a press release about any consumer product changing it's package size? Let alone a product the advertising of which is illegal.

The banning of packs of 10 cigarettes was done primarily to reduce teenage smoking.

rubadub

newacc2015 wrote: »

I asked a few local shops do they sell rollies much because I surprised with the article( I live in the suburbs of Dublin) and they said they hardly sell any.

Most rollie smokers I know get 50g packs from the duty free, while most cigarette smokers seem to buy in shops (along with duty free if they can get it).

A typical cigarette is meant to be 1g, so its like forcing people to buy 30 now.


http://jcicinternational.com/wordpressjc/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/June2011-IEA-tobacco-regulation-article-Cameron-Craven-Marlow.pdf

In another example, Ireland banned sales of 10-packs on
the premise that many younger people are unable to afford
packs of 20. The unintended consequence was that average
daily consumption of cigarettes rose from 16 to 17 as the
prohibition also gave incentives to young people to buy
cheaper 20-packs from illicit sources whose suppliers do not
demand proof of age. So, as governments attempt to price
smokers out of the legitimate domestic market with taxes,
various prohibitions and duties, the incentives rise for
suppliers of illicit tobacco products to cater to those adversely
affected by those same policies. In turn, these induced
behaviours create new markets and tax-financed government
employment for policing by government agencies as well as
additional costs for tobacco companies who are subject to
more regulation and taxation.

this makes sense, since if you are forced to buy a bigger pack then the savings by buying illegally would appear higher too.

The Bishop Basher

rubadub wrote: »

Most rollie smokers I know get 50g packs from the duty free, while most cigarette smokers seem to buy in shops (along with duty free if they can get it).

I'm off them a while but i used to smoke rollies and hadn't bought tobacco in Ireland for about 3 years.

I don't know anyone who buys tobacco here anymore other than the odd pack when caught short.

The government have priced themselves out of the market.

bodhrandude

Josephine Salty Flab wrote: »

Has the price change been proportionate?

About the same, a shop in Salthill quoted the price of €14.50 for the 30g pack, I suppose it will mean less visits to the shop, but if yer a little skint you will have to wait till you have money or borrow some. Its just the way it was introduced like that, that pissed me off.

rubadub

Its also annoying for occasional smokers as it will go stale. I suppose you could open it and immediately put some in smaller bags. It also does not fit in your pocket easily.

I wonder if they are allowed sell 2x15g bags, probably not as we would have seen 2x10packs of smokes being sold.

The black market is the real winner.

Is there any evidence that the ban on 10 packs is benefical? I have seen the negatives. If it is so benefical why not consider it for other things, like only sell cans in 24packs, or vodka in 1L bottles.

L1011

rubadub wrote: »

If it is so benefical why not consider it for other things, like only sell cans in 24packs, or vodka in 1L bottles.

You would see complaints of "only encouraging binge drinking". Whereas while I suspect the larger packs of cigarettes have encouraged some binge smoking amongst those who would smoke less / irregularly; its not identified as a specific different health risk.

rubadub

L1011 wrote: »

its not identified as a specific different health risk.

It should be though as its quite obvious, the article I quoted earlier said it was one unintended consequence, and I don't think it would take much foresight to have predicted it. I remember it being said before the 10 pack ban came in.

Its quite odd as I have heard the opposite said for drinks, that they wanted it illegal to have promotions on the trays of cans as it did promote binge drinking as you say.

When I was younger people would buy 20 packs in pubs and split them if they were low on money. It was a common complaint that you ended up smoking them faster and/or smoked more.

It is also very common to hear the same complaint about duty free smokes, people having several cartons at home and milling through them a lot faster.

Another issue is how they calculate the amount of smoking going on. People will be attracted to the black market option now, so excise figures will fall, and the government may wrongly say "well that 10 pack ban worked wonders, are excise has fallen dramatically so people must be smoking less"