Two thirds of smokers in Croatia (67%) use illegal tobacco, and they say the main reason for that is that smuggled tobacco is cheaper, it was said at a conference on illegal trade in tobacco products after Croatia enters Schengen, held by the Customs Administration and the Croatian Employers' Association on Monday.

Davor Tolic, head of the IPSOS agency’s market research of tobacco products in Croatia and Slovenia, said that the opinion polls on illegal tobacco trade had been conducted on a yearly basis over the last three years.

The latest survey covered 3,100 people from 1,300 households in Croatia.

The findings show that 7.5% of the population (237,600) smoke fine-cut tobacco. Most of them are above 45 years.

Of them, most use non-duty paid tobacco. For instance in Croatia 67% of those smokes use illegal tobacco, while in Slovenia, this percentage is 24%.

In Croatia, cut tobacco smokers who use legal products (33%) are mainly young consumers.

The survey shows that 49% of those who smoke buy  non-duty paid tobacco once a month, and half-kilogram bags are the most purchased.

Illegal tobacco significantly cheaper

Tolic also said there is a significant difference in prices of legal tobacco and illegal tobacco.

A gram of legal tobacco costs around 1.5 kuna, and illicit tobacco costs 0.20 kuna. Furthermore, the majority of respondents in Croatia (40%) buy illegal cut tobacco through acquaintances, at markets (30%), in Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries (10%).

People buy illegally cut tobacco primarily because of the price. This was cited by 92% of respondents, for its taste (23%) and to share with family members (20%).