BAT: 24.6% of German Cigarettes Untaxed; Seeks Pouch Legalization
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Berlin – November 06, 2026 -- Almost 2 billion cigarettes a year in Germany are counterfeit or smuggled, and 24.6% of cigarettes smoked in the country are not taxed there, according to British American Tobacco (BAT). The company is pressing for tougher enforcement and a legal framework for nicotine pouches as the recently adopted tobacco tax increase approaches.
BAT presented the figures at the F.A.Z. Panel Talk in Berlin, where participants from politics, academia, law enforcement and industry discussed how to push back illegal markets. Jorge Araya Remagni, Area Director Central Europe and General Manager BAT Germany, cited both numbers in his opening address.