TobaccoReporter logo

Tag: Cimabel

  • Half of Cig Packs Collected in Belgium Were Foreign or Counterfeit

    Half of Cig Packs Collected in Belgium Were Foreign or Counterfeit

    More than half of cigarette packs collected in Belgium in the second quarter of 2026 contained cigarettes that were either intended for foreign markets or counterfeit, according to figures from Cimabel. The share reached 50.6%, up from 44.4% at the end of 2025 and 33.1% a year earlier. Foreign-market cigarettes accounted for 46% of the total, while counterfeit cigarettes represented 4.6%. The survey covered 2,800 empty packs, representing 59,320 cigarettes, collected across 18 cities by WSPM Group.

    The share of foreign and counterfeit cigarettes increased in 14 of the 18 cities compared with the end of 2025 and exceeded 50% in eight cities. Leuven recorded the highest share at 61.7%, followed by Genk at 57.3% and Charleroi at 54.8%. Bulgaria was the largest identified country of origin, accounting for 30% of the cigarettes, compared with 15.7% a year earlier, followed by Luxembourg at 5.3% and Turkey at 2.1%. Cimabel estimated the market represents a theoretical €2.6 billion in Belgian tax revenue, while noting that the survey could not determine whether foreign cigarettes entered Belgium legally within travelers’ allowances or through illicit trade.

  • Belgium’s Cigarette Black Market Soars

    Belgium’s Cigarette Black Market Soars

    Cimabel, the cigarette manufacturers’ federation for Belgium and Luxembourg, said that 36.5% of consumed cigarettes in Belgium dodged taxation in 2024, a staggering increase from the 20% in 2023. While only 1% of the cigarettes are counterfeit, Cimabel blames “excessive” tax hikes imposed by the previous federal government on legal products are allowing organized crime syndicates to smuggle in illicit product from Bulgaria to sell significantly cheaper.

    Already with a reputation as a smuggling hub for arms and drugs, Cimabel warns that Belgium authorities are now tasked with getting on the global bandwagon to reduce cigarette smoking without opening the door for criminals.

    “The state is hemorrhaging revenue while criminals rake in millions,” Cimabel said. “The federation is now calling for a rethink on excise policies, urging the government to strike a balance between public health and stopping illicit traders from lighting up their profits.” 

  • Belgium: One in Five Cigarettes Untaxed

    Belgium: One in Five Cigarettes Untaxed

    Photo: paolo

    More than one in five cigarettes smoked in Belgium are untaxed, reports The Brussels Times, citing new research carried out by Cimabel, the Belgium-Luxembourg federation of cigarette manufacturers.

    A study of discarded packets and cigarette butts collected between April 18 and May 9 found that 21.8 percent of cigarettes consumed had escaped Belgian tax authorities, accounting for around €700 million ($699.69) in lost tax revenue.

    Of the untaxed cigarettes, 1.9 percent were counterfeit. The remaining 19.9 percent were legally brought into Belgium from countries with a lower tax burden. Of the cigarettes purchased outside of Belgium, more than half (51.8 percent) came from Bulgaria. Other countries of origin included Poland (7.8 percent of supply), Turkey (6.88 percent) and Romania (3.67 percent).

    During Cimabel’s previous semi-annual survey, which took place in October 2021, the share of untaxed cigarettes was 13.8 percent. The organization attributes the increase in tax-evading tobacco products to drastic tax hikes introduced on April 1, 2022, which have encouraged smokers to find cheaper ways of purchasing cigarettes.

    Cimabel urged the Belgian government to refrain from further tobacco tax hikes.

    “As long as the federal government continues to drastically increase excise duties on tobacco products each year, the demand for cheap cigarettes will continue to grow, and criminal organizations will continue their illegal practices on Belgian territory,” the federation warned.