Counterfeit Cigarettes Drive EU Illicit Market Above 10% for First Time Since 2014
Illicit cigarettes reached 10.3% of EU consumption in 2025 (41.8 billion), with an estimated €16.7 billion in lost tax revenues
Counterfeits now lead the illicit market - accounting for 44% of EU illicit consumption (18.3 billion), up sharply year-on-year and displacing traditional East-to-West contraband flows
Western Europe has the highest levels of illicit consumption, with France (41.4%), Belgium (24.8%), and the Netherlands (22.1%) among the most impacted. In France alone, counterfeit volumes reached nearly 10 billion cigarettes
A new study detailing the scale of the illicit cigarette trade in the European Union (EU) shows that consumption of black-market cigarettes rose more than 7% year-on-year in 2025, reaching levels not seen in over a decade, with counterfeit cigarettes playing an increasingly significant role across member states. Philip Morris International (PMI) (NYSE: PM) reiterates its call for a coordinated response to illicit trade in Europe, built on evidence-based regulation and strengthened cooperation.
