Cigarettes registered a decline in volume sales in 2020, as more people gave up smoking in light of the added respiratory danger caused by COVID-19. Another contribution to the fall in volume sales was the EU regulation over the banning of menthol-flavoured cigarettes which came into force in 2020.
Regular Estonian smokers continued to be loyal to their preferred brands in 2020. Moreover, graphic health warnings on cigarette packs and advertising restrictions have made it very difficult for manufacturers to attract consumers of rival brands.
Bans on smoking in public places continued to have a measurable impact on smoking prevalence, with health experts agreeing that this measure was the most effective in curbing smoking. Moreover, with tobacco point-of-sale displays and the advertising they afford now banned in the country thanks to an enactment of new Tobacco Law amendments in July 2019, consumers were further discouraged from smoking given the rising inconvenience of selecting a product as well as falling brand awareness.
Cigarettes are to continue to see a fall in volume sales over the forecast period, as consumers become more health conscious and also as a declining population leads to reduced volume sales. One positive of the pandemic was that there were fewer sales of illicit cigarettes but as borders open up again, illicit activity will resume at a high level.
Heated tobacco products could well be the new battleground mong players and cigarettes could suffer as a result. Global players are shifting their focus from cigarettes to heated tobacco products, which are not available in the country yet because of law restrictions.
Smoking rates usually increase during economic downturns, such as the 2008 global financial crisis, as smokers rely on cigarettes to get them through any stress and strain, despite the economic outlay. However, Estonian consumers are not only about to enter a period of economic hardship but are also increasingly concerned about health.
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Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Cigarettes industry in Estonia with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
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This report originates from Passport, our Cigarettes research and analysis database.
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